What kind of life will make you happiest? What (if anything) makes actions morally wrong or right? Is truth objective? Is faith compatible with reason? Is the material world all that exists? Do we have free will? Join doctoral-trained philosophers Chris and Christian as they tackle these and the other big questions of life in a fun, accessible yet intellectually rigorous way.
Chris and Christian discuss happiness. First, what is happiness? The philosophical literature contains three main accounts: happiness as a life filled with pleasure, happiness as a kind of positive mood, and happiness as the judgment that your life as a whole is going well. Second, what distinguishes happiness from some seemingly related concepts, such as wellbeing (see: Episode 2 (https://youtu.be/a2Zru7XobeM?si=_Sf9V_eGWMhIaROE)) and the meaning of life (see: Episode 3 (https://youtu.be/qS9RRcrNXoI?si=8OiWaTPJ3V3--Iyg))? Third, what is the value of happiness? Why should we pursue it? Can happiness ever be bad?
Works consulted:
-Davis, Wayne (1981). “Pleasure and Happiness.” Philosophical Studies 39 (3):305 - 317.
-Haybron, Dan, "Happiness", The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy (Summer 2020 Edition), Edward N. Zalta (ed.), URL = <https://plato.stanford.edu/archives/sum2020/entries/happiness/ (https://plato.stanford.edu/archives/sum2020/entries/happiness/)>.
-Nozick, Robert (1989). “Happiness.” In Examined Life: Philosophical Meditations. Simon & Schuster.
Music by Cosimo Fogg: • Jazzaddict's Intro – Cosimo Fogg (201) (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hY4yspCQRaM&t=0s)
3 Dec 2024
Episode 3: The Meaning of Life
Philosophy No Chaser hosts Chris and Christian explore the meaning of life, questioning whether it's possible without God or an afterlife, and how to lead a meaningful life through objectively valuable pursuits.
2 Nov 2024
Well-Being and Philosophy
Chris and Christian discuss the nature of well-being, also known as human flourishing. Is well-being the same as happiness? What constitutes well-being? In other words, what kinds of things can make life good for you? And what makes all those things good for you? The three most popular accounts of well-being are considered: hedonism, which says that the good life is the most pleasurable one; desire-fulfillment theories, which say that the good life is all about satisfying your desires; and perfectionism, which says that the good life is one where you develop your fundamental human nature and potential.
Works consulted:
Articles from Guy Fletcher (editor), The Routledge Handbook of Philosophy of Well-Being
Roger Crisp, “Well-Being” in the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy
Robert Nozick, Anarchy, State, and Utopia
Music by Cosimo Fogg: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hY4yspCQRaM (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hY4yspCQRaM)
18 Oct 2024
Philosophy of Love
Chris and Christian discuss love. What defines it? Why should we love? Are our reasons for getting into relationships different from the ones we have for staying in them? Why should you stay with your partner even if it can come at the cost of your happiness? What is the relation between morality and love?
https://linktr.ee/philosophynochaser (https://linktr.ee/philosophynochaser)
Works consulted:
Robert Nozick, “Love’s Bond.”
Laurence Thomas, “Reasons for Loving.”
Bennett Helm, “Love,” in the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy.
Episode produced by Abby Scamardella.
Music by Cosimo Fogg: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hY4yspCQRaM (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hY4yspCQRaM)
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