The Distorted Conception of ‘Happiness’ in Modern Western Society
Keywords
Loading...
Authors
Issue Date
2025-07-10
Language
en
Document type
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Title
ISSN
Volume
Issue
Startpage
Endpage
DOI
Abstract
In modern Western societies, there seems to be a heightened focus on happiness as an ultimate goal or the highest good. This heightened focus and high valuation of happiness is present in both modern scientific psychology (especially in the field of positive psychology) as well as in the neoliberal take on happiness. Nevertheless, people in the Western world do not necessarily feel happier. In this thesis, I argued how both modern scientific psychology and neoliberalism narrowed our conception of happiness in multiple ways, which makes it more difficult to find the desired broader kind of happiness in our lives today. A satisfactory conception of happiness is important because it actually fulfils a function in helping us leading a good life. Therefore, it should meet certain practical needs such as helping us in deliberating life choices. Using Haybron’s work on three different senses of happiness, I argued that a satisfactory conception of happiness should include all three senses of happiness and that the relationship between those three senses is not simply linear.
Description
Citation
Supervisor
Faculty
Faculteit der Filosofie, Theologie en Religiewetenschappen