Happy Lives, Good Lives: A Philosophical Examination

by Jennifer Wilson Mulnix, M.J. Mulnix

Happy Lives, Good Lives offers a thorough introduction to a variety of perspectives on happiness. Among the questions at issue: Is happiness only a state of mind, or is it something more? Is it the same for everyone? Is it under our control, and if so, to what extent? Can we be mistaken about whether we are happy? What role, if any, does happiness play in living a good life? Is it sometimes morally wrong to pursue happiness? Should governments promote happiness through public policy? Asking and answering these questions is worthwhile not only as an intellectual exercise, but also as a means of gaining practical insight into how best to pursue a happy life.

300 pages, Unknown Binding

First published January 1, 2015

Reviews

[Vanessa Lehan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a good text for intro to philosophy/meaning of life classes. Mulnix keeps the material accessible and I like how she shows the multi-disciplinarity of philosophy.

[Carter · Rating 4 out of 5]

A broad overview of three different conceptions of happiness, and by extension, the good life. This book has shaped my understanding of what it means to live a happy life. It is not simply how you feel moment to moment, but how you understand your life as a whole. Are you surpassing the goals you set? Are you living to your full potential? When you ask yourself these questions, it is easier to see life’s struggles in a more positive light. For instance, this challenging obstacle that will take lots of effort and patience to overcome is not a detriment to my well-being, but rather an opportunity to do something difficult and grow from it. These chapters have made me reflect on what it means to be happy. In the evening hours after a long work day, where all I’ve wanted to do was sit back and watch some TV, am I truly happy? Perhaps, but these fleeting feel-good moments are not what truly make me happy. It is the struggle, perseverance, and willingness to complete hard things that facilitate a happy life.

[Kristopher · Rating 5 out of 5]

I taught this text as a part of my Intro to Philosophy class. I don't think I've ever had such success with a monograph in intro. The subject matter struck my students as important, valuable, and practical - and the writing is sufficiently engaging to keep the students' attention. The book perfectly strikes the balance between engaging and philosophically/analytically rigorous such that students are challenged to think about difficult philosophical analyses but without losing track of what is going on. I think that the book works for students who are both more advanced and earlier on in their philosophical education. Furthermore, I had a number of students express that they would be passing the book along to family and friends in order to continue the discussion after the semester ended. This is a great text, and one I will definitely be using again.

[Tarek Azad · Rating 1 out of 5]

How ironic the concept of happiness is that without it we would all be happier.