Then and Now
We tend to measure a life by what it produced: the work completed, the recognition earned, the things left behind. Virtue asks us to use a different measure. What kind of person did we become while doing all of that? Aristotle believed that we become virtuous by training reason and practicing good habits. Al-Ghazali agreed about the habits but questioned the goal. Is virtue the perfection of our humanity, or does it prepare us for something beyond ourselves?
Nothing lasts. The work, the worries, the possessions, the reputation, even the memory of having been here—all of it eventually disappears. Ecclesiastes does not answer this problem by discovering some hidden permanence. It asks whether the … [Continue reading] about Happiness and the Pursuit of the Good Life: Episode 5: Pleasure Under the Sun
Episode 4, "What Pleasure Costs," was just released. Pleasure sounds simple until we try to name it. A piece of chocolate, relief from pain, a long conversation, intoxication, falling in love, and the quiet after anxiety subsides can all feel … [Continue reading] about Happiness and the Pursuit of the Good Life: Episode 4: What Pleasure Costs
Episode 3, "What Does it Mean to Flourish," was just released. How are you different from a fruit fly? The obvious answer is that you can reason, plan, and ask what your life is for. Aristotle takes that difference seriously. If reason is what … [Continue reading] about Happiness and the Pursuit of the Good Life: 3: What Does it Mean to Flourish?
I am delighted to introduce my new podcast! For the past several years I have taught a class at Brown University called “Happiness and the Pursuit of the Good Life.” The goal of the class is to bring positive psychology into dialogue with … [Continue reading] about Happiness and the Pursuit of the Good Life: A New Podcast