Happiness

Happiness, pleasure or joy is the emotional state of being happy. The definition of happiness is one of the greatest philosophical quandaries. Proposed definitions include freedom from want and distress, consciousness of the good order of things, assurance of one's place in the universe or society, inner peace, and so forth. More generally, though, it can be defined as the state which humans and other animals are behaviorally driven towards, to counter external forces which would otherwise lead to unhappiness (and presumably eventual death).

Psychological views

Positive psychology

Martin Seligman in his book Authentic Happiness gives the positive psychology definition of happiness as consisting of both positive emotions (like comfort) and positive activities (like absorption). He presents three categories of positive emotions:

Related Topics:
Martin Seligman - Positive psychology - Positive emotions - Positive activities

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• past: feelings of satisfaction, contentment, pride, and serenity.
• present (examples): enjoying the taste of food, glee at listening to music, absorption in reading.
• future: feelings of optimism, hope, trust, faith, and confidence.

There are three categories of present positive emotions:

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• bodily pleasures, e.g. enjoying the taste of food.
• higher pleasures, e.g. glee at listening to music.
• gratifications, e.g. absorption in reading.

The bodily and higher pleasures are "pleasures of the moment" and usually involve some external stimulus. An exception is the glee felt at having an original thought.

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Gratifications involve full engagement, flow, elimination of self-consciousness, and blocking of felt emotions. But when a gratification comes to an end then positive emotions will be felt.

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Gratifications can be obtained or increased by developing signature strengths and virtues. Authenticity is the derivation of gratification and positive emotions from exercising signature strengths. The good life comes from using signature strengths to obtain abundant gratification in, for example, enjoying work and pursuing a meaningful life.

Related Topics:
Signature strengths - Virtues - Authenticity - Good life

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