The Pursuit of Happiness: Virtue or Pleasure?

Open to Debate

Education, Society & Culture, News, Government, Politics

4.5 • 2.1K Ratings

🗓️ 17 May 2024

⏱️ 52 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Happiness is a complex emotion and mental state that can be achieved through virtue or pleasure. But should it be for the good of the individual or society? Those in favor of virtue point to the Stoics and the Founding Fathers, saying you should strive for a life of moral virtue and rationality. Those in favor of pleasure say everyone should be able to experience it and define their sources of happiness. Now we debate: The Pursuit of Happiness: Virtue or Pleasure? Arguing Virtue: Jeffrey Rosen, CEO & President of the National Constitution Center; Author of “The Pursuit of Happiness: How Classical Writers on Virtue Inspired the Lives of the Founders and Defined America” Arguing Pleasure: Roger Crisp, Professor of Moral Philosophy at the University of Oxford; Uehiro Fellow and Tutor in Philosophy at St. Anne's College, Oxford Nayeema Raza, Journalist at New York Magazine and Vox, is the guest moderator. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	While you're listening to this podcast, I'm causing mischief.
0:05.0	Like creeping past sleepy granddad to sneak a pot of Petty Faloo from the fridge.
0:12.0	Because Petty Fal Lou fuels the mischief.
0:15.0	Boom!
0:16.0	Mom says that Petty for Lou is made with calcium and vitamin D for healthy bones. She knows best, most of the time.
0:27.0	Fueling mischief with petty flu. This is open to debate.
0:35.0	Today for this episode, my good friend and colleague,
0:40.0	Naima Reza is guest moderating for a fascinating debate exploring the
0:45.2	perennial mystery of happiness that ever elusive state so many of us seem to be striving
0:50.4	for in our lives. These days it feels like seeking happiness has
0:54.4	become a shared national obsession. There are podcasts to help us be happier.
0:59.6	There are self-help books. Even these days there are some very popular college classes aimed at helping
1:04.9	students better attain happiness in their lives. And yet for all that effort, we don't seem
1:11.0	to be getting very much happier.
1:13.0	Depression levels are at record highs,
1:14.9	loneliness has skyrocketed.
1:17.0	Younger people in particular are reporting pretty dramatic
1:19.6	decreases in happiness.
1:21.6	So it feels like this might be a good moment to be re-evaluating
1:25.1	the very definition of happiness. So what you're going to hear is a great
1:28.8	philosophical and historical reckoning with the concept of happiness.
1:32.1	Naimereza, as I've mentioned, will be guest moderating.
	...

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