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Concept of Happiness 1

Concept of Happiness

Roanne Marie Gacusan

Course

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Concept of Happiness 3

The Modern Concept of Happiness

This concept suggests that happiness is just a mood of the conscious mind. It is not based

on the way of life a man follows. Here, happiness is something that one believes to exist in his or

her mind. If a man believes he is happy, then he is happy. Also, the modern concept of happiness

dejects the fact that happiness is based on activities. This is because, if happiness was to be based

on something, then if that thing is taken away, then happiness will also be gone. For example, if

an athlete, who really loves being an athlete, becomes paralyzed, then he would not be happy.

And he can only gain happiness from self-contentment where he should believe that all is well.

Therefore, this type of happiness is only based on what one believes.

Happiness, as a state of the consciousness, means that it can be easily taken away. Many

external things affect the emotions of individuals. If a man has an officemate that spills his

coffee every day, even if they were just accidents, he will be angry. Here, if one believes that he

is happy, then the cause of his happiness will be his belief. But because there are many other

external things that can cause a change of emotion, then happiness is not permanent.

Comparison between the Two

In the Aristotles concept, happiness will be based on activities. While in the modern

concept, happiness is based on beliefs. This shows that the modern concept has more

weaknesses. A belief can easily be swayed by some external thing. While for Aristotles concept,

one can only stop in being happy if he or she dies. For example, even if someone becomes

paralyzed, he or she can still think. Thinking is the base of all act ivities. Without thinking, no

one can even establish a standard for activities. And once the standards are established,

everything else becomes easier. Happiness is longer and easier to achieve when it is based on the

way of life.

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Concept of Happiness 4

For the modern concept, its weak because many things can affect the mood of a person.

The base is so unstable that it can easily be swayed. There are so many external factors that

affect the life of individuals. These factors are then processed in the mind according to the biases

of the mind. And after that, the product can be an action and an emotion. Different factors brings

different results. Then if one only believes that he is happy, if something against his bias comes

across, then his happiness will be gone.

This makes Aristotles concept of happiness to be more powerful. Even perfect

happiness, if it exists, can be achieved as what Michael Pakaluk claims in the bookAristotle's

Nicomachean et

hics: an introduction.

Conclusion

Both concepts of happiness can be used if the other is not possible. This is just to stay

happy. Being happy brings all other kinds of positive things to ones life. An example would be,

if a man is happy, he sees things in the positive side. Being happy also helps people become

emotionally stable. The only question is how can people be happy? In this case, Aristotles

concept of happiness is more powerful. It does not only give happiness but can also give people a

grasp of perfect happiness.

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Concept of Happiness 5

Works Cited

Eagleton, T. The Meaning of Life. New York: Oxford University Press, 2007.

Pakaluk, M. Aristotle's Nicomachean ethics: an introduction. New York: Cambridge University

Press, 2005.