The first consideration which we note is that a philosophy of happiness is lacking in mainstream XXth century philosophy.To state this more succinctly: 'happiness' is no longer deemed as the source, center and goal in the practice of philosophy. This seems ludicrous, hyperbolic and absurd when we consider how significant happiness was in Plato and Socrates' aspirations, and of course, Aristotle's 'eudaimonia' which is the cognate of the term I selected for the title of this blog, 'eudaimonology'.
Happiness, beatitude, in a sense 'blessedness', can be a natural fruit of practicing philosophy. It has been in my experience, this is not to say, however, that the road is not difficult. Still, the open ended pursuit of truth, or wonder, still constitutes the essence of philosophy, as it did for Socrates. The urge to pursue truth and wonder Plato tells us in The Phaedrus is a symptom of a "divine madness" or 'mania' which incidentally is the greatest gift which can be bestowed on man (or woman).
In Aristotle, the emphasis on happiness 'eudaimonia' (perhaps better understood literally as 'well abiding spirit') appears in balance ('harmonia') between two extremes---rational discipline, and technique versus eros and sensual urge and desire. Ethics is the 'science of happiness' because its principle consideration is the goal ('telos') of human intention. The principle intention and goal of human action is happiness---whether conceived as immediate joy, or rather as a "complaisance" what I mean is an abiding state of serenity often confused for security. Pleasure itself is not to be equated with happiness but acts as a motor driving one toward it.
In Classical Antiquity, philosophy was practical in this sense: philosophers were recognizable characters in the Athenian and Roman culture, not solely as teachers, researchers or academics. Teaching may or may not have been an aspect of the philosophers' lives, since the goal of practicing philosophy was not educational but primarily and individual quest for happiness, beauty and truth. Philosophy was deemed as a way, it was the pursuit of blessedness and the happy life. It follows that Ethics was the first source and aspiration toward philosophy. It is in this sense which delivers philosophy to Socrates. Logic and mathematics are a means to an end---not the terminus of human philosophical endeavor. The activity of philosophy is centered on a way of living in search of beauty and wonder and harmonious human existence. The primary undertaking is the cleansing and employment of the soul---a route toward 'sophia'---'wisdom'.
The pursuit of happiness and ethics is even more clearly dilineated and represented in the philosophy of the Roman Stoics. While different schools of Stoic thought presented differing techniques for achieving it, the gathering theme is happiness. Understood ascetically in Epictetus, hedonistically in Pyrrho's abandonment to sense pleasure, and "epicurean" in Epicurus' refined gourmandism; in every case the goal of stoic ethics is happiness.
The classic Christian work in the early 4th century is Saint Augustine's De Beata Vita (The Happy Life), was written in the springtime of the saint's conversion. Yet, it provided the medieval scholars with a template or heuristic for grasping the substance of happiness in a Christian philosophy. We must note also that although Christian philosophy differs from the Hellenistic and Pagan philosophies in that it imports 'faith' as the primary driver in the pursuit of truth and happiness. 'Wonder' is discplaced from the original, central impulse of philosophical activity. We see ideas from Aristotle's ethics at play when, for example, we hear Augustine reporting his mother, St. Monica's description of happiness: "...[He] is not happy through the possession of these things but through the moderation of his mind (Schopps, 73)." Curious to note that Augustine gives the role of revealing the most profound philosophical insights to his mother, Monica, in this dialogue which takes place, ironically, in a bathhouse! This reminds me of something I read in the great Sufi mystic Al-Ghazzali---do not depend for happiness on anything more than you might expect to salvage in a shipwreck.
In a parallel manner St. Augustine is telling us that the crucial part of philosophy is the intention of the will. Happiness consists in an intentional relationship between human desire and the things of the material world. The goal of philosophy is to help orient the philosopher correctly to things and the world of things that pass away (phenomena). Pardon me for saying so but this is very close to Krishna's counsel to the dejected Arjuna in the opening verses of the Bhagavad-Gita it is the essence of the Gita's teaching. Furthermore, Augustine emphasizes that the soul is eternal, in the Vedantic Science this parallels Brahman's eternal life in the human being, in the 'atman' (or indestructible 'witness') or center of consciousness. Mistakenly this is called the 'ego' in Modern Philosophy after Descartes. It is not the ego or the "I" but prior to the "I think" is an eternal living consciousness---this is the case whether "I" exist or not, for obviously other "I's" exist without me. Hence we are not saying that the ego does not think, hear, feel and act as the center of all subjective human acts, but rather that prior to this seeing, feeling, hearing, thinking, is the field or place where it "happens". Happening, falling into being and standing there long enough for it to appear as a manifestation or thing, being "perceived" or grasped subjectively. The happening precedes the consciousness of things in the same manner that a film needs a screen upon which to manifest itself, before it can be seen.
The medieval philosophy of the Scholastics is no less deficient in its emphasis upon happiness, than the Ancients. St. Thomas Aquinas devotes a major part of his Summa Theologica to the consideration of human happiness. It is interesting to note here the addition of the angelic philosophy, and the influence of the Pseudo Dionysius' Angelic Hierarchy. In the Arabic philosophy, the angels correspond to hierarchies of intellects, grading from human consciousness all the way up through the angelic intelligences to God. (to be continued...)
Happiness, beatitude, in a sense 'blessedness', can be a natural fruit of practicing philosophy. It has been in my experience, this is not to say, however, that the road is not difficult. Still, the open ended pursuit of truth, or wonder, still constitutes the essence of philosophy, as it did for Socrates. The urge to pursue truth and wonder Plato tells us in The Phaedrus is a symptom of a "divine madness" or 'mania' which incidentally is the greatest gift which can be bestowed on man (or woman).
In Aristotle, the emphasis on happiness 'eudaimonia' (perhaps better understood literally as 'well abiding spirit') appears in balance ('harmonia') between two extremes---rational discipline, and technique versus eros and sensual urge and desire. Ethics is the 'science of happiness' because its principle consideration is the goal ('telos') of human intention. The principle intention and goal of human action is happiness---whether conceived as immediate joy, or rather as a "complaisance" what I mean is an abiding state of serenity often confused for security. Pleasure itself is not to be equated with happiness but acts as a motor driving one toward it.
In Classical Antiquity, philosophy was practical in this sense: philosophers were recognizable characters in the Athenian and Roman culture, not solely as teachers, researchers or academics. Teaching may or may not have been an aspect of the philosophers' lives, since the goal of practicing philosophy was not educational but primarily and individual quest for happiness, beauty and truth. Philosophy was deemed as a way, it was the pursuit of blessedness and the happy life. It follows that Ethics was the first source and aspiration toward philosophy. It is in this sense which delivers philosophy to Socrates. Logic and mathematics are a means to an end---not the terminus of human philosophical endeavor. The activity of philosophy is centered on a way of living in search of beauty and wonder and harmonious human existence. The primary undertaking is the cleansing and employment of the soul---a route toward 'sophia'---'wisdom'.
The pursuit of happiness and ethics is even more clearly dilineated and represented in the philosophy of the Roman Stoics. While different schools of Stoic thought presented differing techniques for achieving it, the gathering theme is happiness. Understood ascetically in Epictetus, hedonistically in Pyrrho's abandonment to sense pleasure, and "epicurean" in Epicurus' refined gourmandism; in every case the goal of stoic ethics is happiness.
The classic Christian work in the early 4th century is Saint Augustine's De Beata Vita (The Happy Life), was written in the springtime of the saint's conversion. Yet, it provided the medieval scholars with a template or heuristic for grasping the substance of happiness in a Christian philosophy. We must note also that although Christian philosophy differs from the Hellenistic and Pagan philosophies in that it imports 'faith' as the primary driver in the pursuit of truth and happiness. 'Wonder' is discplaced from the original, central impulse of philosophical activity. We see ideas from Aristotle's ethics at play when, for example, we hear Augustine reporting his mother, St. Monica's description of happiness: "...[He] is not happy through the possession of these things but through the moderation of his mind (Schopps, 73)." Curious to note that Augustine gives the role of revealing the most profound philosophical insights to his mother, Monica, in this dialogue which takes place, ironically, in a bathhouse! This reminds me of something I read in the great Sufi mystic Al-Ghazzali---do not depend for happiness on anything more than you might expect to salvage in a shipwreck.
In a parallel manner St. Augustine is telling us that the crucial part of philosophy is the intention of the will. Happiness consists in an intentional relationship between human desire and the things of the material world. The goal of philosophy is to help orient the philosopher correctly to things and the world of things that pass away (phenomena). Pardon me for saying so but this is very close to Krishna's counsel to the dejected Arjuna in the opening verses of the Bhagavad-Gita it is the essence of the Gita's teaching. Furthermore, Augustine emphasizes that the soul is eternal, in the Vedantic Science this parallels Brahman's eternal life in the human being, in the 'atman' (or indestructible 'witness') or center of consciousness. Mistakenly this is called the 'ego' in Modern Philosophy after Descartes. It is not the ego or the "I" but prior to the "I think" is an eternal living consciousness---this is the case whether "I" exist or not, for obviously other "I's" exist without me. Hence we are not saying that the ego does not think, hear, feel and act as the center of all subjective human acts, but rather that prior to this seeing, feeling, hearing, thinking, is the field or place where it "happens". Happening, falling into being and standing there long enough for it to appear as a manifestation or thing, being "perceived" or grasped subjectively. The happening precedes the consciousness of things in the same manner that a film needs a screen upon which to manifest itself, before it can be seen.
The medieval philosophy of the Scholastics is no less deficient in its emphasis upon happiness, than the Ancients. St. Thomas Aquinas devotes a major part of his Summa Theologica to the consideration of human happiness. It is interesting to note here the addition of the angelic philosophy, and the influence of the Pseudo Dionysius' Angelic Hierarchy. In the Arabic philosophy, the angels correspond to hierarchies of intellects, grading from human consciousness all the way up through the angelic intelligences to God. (to be continued...)
