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Happiness: Classic and Contemporary Readings in Philosophy
Happiness has long been a focus of attention for philosophers as well as psychologists. This volume, the only collection devoted to the subject from the standpoint of philosophy, offers twenty-seven classic and contemporary readings exploring the nature of happiness. Part I, a survey of the ways happiness has been treated throughout the history of ethics, includes writings by Plato, Aristotle, Epicurus, Seneca, Augustine, Thomas Aquinas, Thomas Hobbes, Joseph Butler, David Hume, Jeremy Bentham, Immanuel Kant, Arthur Schopenhauer, John Stuart Mill, Henry Sidgwick, Friedrich Nietzsche, and Jean-Paul Sartre. Part II explores the work of contemporary ethical theorists, including Julia Annas, John Kekes, Richard Kraut, Robert Nozick, and Richard Taylor. The book also includes an introduction by psychologist Daniel Nettle, headnotes for each selection, and essays by the editors. Ideal for ethics courses, Classic and Contemporary Readings can also be used in courses in
introductory philosophy and positive psychology.
introductory philosophy and positive psychology.
- GenresPhilosophy
289 pages, Paperback
First published March 16, 2007
7 people are currently reading
48 people want to read
About the author
Steven M. Cahn
92 books22 followersSteven M. Cahn, Ph.D. (Philosophy, Columbia University, 1966; A.B., Columbia College, 1963), teaches academic ethics, philosophy of religion, and philosophy of education at the Graduate Center and has published widely in the field of philosophy and education.
Cahn joined the Graduate Center as professor of philosophy and dean of graduate studies in 1983. He was named provost and vice president for academic affairs in 1984, remaining in that position until 1992. He previously taught at Dartmouth College, Vassar College, the University of Rochester, New York University, and the University of Vermont, where from 1973 to 1980 he headed the department of philosophy. He held executive positions with the Exxon Education Foundation, the Rockefeller Foundation, and the National Endowment for the Humanities, and he is longtime president of the John Dewey Foundation.
Cahn joined the Graduate Center as professor of philosophy and dean of graduate studies in 1983. He was named provost and vice president for academic affairs in 1984, remaining in that position until 1992. He previously taught at Dartmouth College, Vassar College, the University of Rochester, New York University, and the University of Vermont, where from 1973 to 1980 he headed the department of philosophy. He held executive positions with the Exxon Education Foundation, the Rockefeller Foundation, and the National Endowment for the Humanities, and he is longtime president of the John Dewey Foundation.
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
February 12, 2021
This is a lazily assembled packet of readings, done by lazy editors for lazy professors and lazy students, and published by a greedy and grasping Press.
First, the only editorial contributions are a three-paragraph Preface and extremely terse one-paragraph comments at the beginning of each of the readings. Even the Introduction is repurposed from another book (by the same publisher). It is by a psychologist, who, not entirely unexpectedly, makes a mess out of sorting out crucial definitions and distinctions. One would have thought that the philosopher-editors could have taken the trouble to provide their anthology with a proper, philosophically competent introduction: but no.
The editors do provide their own articles, one apiece,
Secondly, there are no editorial footnotes in any of the selections explaining obscure terms or ideas, or providing supplementary information. All footnotes are from the original authors. Given that almost of all the "Contemporary Sources" were directed at scholarly readers (having mostly appeared in scholarly journals), the uninitiated reader will often be at a loss to make out what subtle point is being made.
This problem with footnotes is especially egregious in the case of the contribution of one of the editors, Christina Vitrano, whose article refers to other articles in this anthology. However, instead of referring to pages in the anthology, she prefers to cite the places where these articles originally appeared! Some student of hers could have done the work of collating the articles - but maybe they were lazy too.
Thirdly, there are no aids to understanding such as Reading Questions or Questions for further reflection.
Fourthly, there is no General Bibliography or Guide to Further Reading.
Fifthly, there is no Index.
So the only job undertaken by the editors (yes, it took two of them!) was to select and excerpt the readings.
Oxford University Press then slapped them together and listed the book for $35.95
First, the only editorial contributions are a three-paragraph Preface and extremely terse one-paragraph comments at the beginning of each of the readings. Even the Introduction is repurposed from another book (by the same publisher). It is by a psychologist, who, not entirely unexpectedly, makes a mess out of sorting out crucial definitions and distinctions. One would have thought that the philosopher-editors could have taken the trouble to provide their anthology with a proper, philosophically competent introduction: but no.
The editors do provide their own articles, one apiece,
Secondly, there are no editorial footnotes in any of the selections explaining obscure terms or ideas, or providing supplementary information. All footnotes are from the original authors. Given that almost of all the "Contemporary Sources" were directed at scholarly readers (having mostly appeared in scholarly journals), the uninitiated reader will often be at a loss to make out what subtle point is being made.
This problem with footnotes is especially egregious in the case of the contribution of one of the editors, Christina Vitrano, whose article refers to other articles in this anthology. However, instead of referring to pages in the anthology, she prefers to cite the places where these articles originally appeared! Some student of hers could have done the work of collating the articles - but maybe they were lazy too.
Thirdly, there are no aids to understanding such as Reading Questions or Questions for further reflection.
Fourthly, there is no General Bibliography or Guide to Further Reading.
Fifthly, there is no Index.
So the only job undertaken by the editors (yes, it took two of them!) was to select and excerpt the readings.
Oxford University Press then slapped them together and listed the book for $35.95
June 5, 2024
I finished this a month ago but forgot oops. Honestly kinda fire? So much absurdity so much death! I know it’s called happiness but most of these boys are so sad. Poor babies. Camus gives me big whacky uncle energy and I’m kinda here for it? I feel like it kept me thinkin and plotting and scheming in the best way, but these Ancient Greek philosophy boys have got to stop YAPPING!! And listen, I know they died and stopped yapping several centuries ago, but why can I still hear it then?!?! JK. Anyway good book :)
June 10, 2015
الكتاب دا عظيم
والاعظم انه مترجم عن دار الكتب المصريه
شيىء جميل
لازم الكل يقرأه
والاعظم انه مترجم عن دار الكتب المصريه
شيىء جميل
لازم الكل يقرأه
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews