Is happines just the sum of individual pleasures?

By Rachel Crowe <rcrowe@usa.net>

To answer the question of whether happiness is just the sum of individual pleasures, the terms happiness and pleasure must first be defined. The dictionary defines pleasure as a source of delight or joy. In a minute a person can experience a pleasure, but the next minute it is gone. The dictionary defines happiness as a state of well-being and contentment. Happiness must be achieved and is long term. Plato says that happiness is “an inner state of the soul” that occurs “when one is at peace with oneself and knows one’s own worth” (Hospers, 21). Pleasure and happiness are, therefore, distinctly different, but do pleasures add up to happiness? No, one can have a life of moment to moment pleasures, but never be truly happy. Likewise, one can experience displeasure and still be happy. A person experiencing only pleasures is not living a full life. Failing, experiencing hurt, and making mistakes are all displeasures that occur in a full life. A person learns from all experiences to discover a state of happiness.
Another point is that if a person is happy, then that person finds more pleasures in life than an unhappy person. A person may experience pleasures such as having a good job and a nice house but be unhappy because he/she has not discovered the state of peace within himself/herself that is happiness. An unhappy person finds little pleasure in life. Therefore, a person is not happier because he/she experiences more pleasures but experiences more pleasures because he/she has already reached a state of happiness.

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Brian W. Bearden <bbearden@student.lander.edu>

Good evaluation. I agree, just having momentary pleasures does not ensure a life of happiness, it takes peace with one's soul to achieve true happiness.

Matthew Knight <mknight_dsb@hotmail.com>

I agree that pleasure and happines are distinctly different. Pleasure is short-term and is ofter forgotten soon after the sensation fades. Happiness is contentment that comes from being satisfied with the way in which one lives their life; taking into account the joy, pain, trials, tribulations, successes, and failures.

Jamie Meadows <riojeepgrl>

You developed your idea well, and it is very easy to understand your paper. I agree that pleasue has the tendency to be "short-term" and fades, leaving no happiness. There being the difference between them.

Michelle Komski <michellekomski@hotmail.com>

I agree with you!! Your paper was well thought out and well written. I like how you pointed out that we learn from what is not pleasure.

Gina Baker <daphine10@hotmail.com>

I really enjoyed your paper, But I feel that if one never experiences unhappiness then they will not know the true joy of being happy.

jennifer lester <lesterjennifer@hotmail.com>

very nicely stated! i agree with your statements. i have seen this exemplified in the lives of others.

Michael Tucker <tuckerm@greenwood.net>

Good job. People may learn from their experiences but, I don't know if I agree with you on your statement that they discover a state of happiness from learning from their experiences. If someone always has a bad experience and learns from it doesn't make that person happy.

Anna C. Nance <eirendel@yahoo.com>

Very well agured, and I agree.

Leah Patterson <coco_c_007@hotmail.com>

I think the last sentence of your paper sums up the whole idea rather nicely. Having pleasure doesn't equal having happiness, but being happy almost ensures some kind of pleasure. I agree wholeheartedly.

Chun Yeung <jane1227@yahoo.com>

I totally agree with your points. It is a very good paper.

Amy Young <bbfhyoung@yahoo.com>

I agree with your paper completely. It makes even more sense since we have been studying Aristotle and his theories on happiness and pleasure. Pleasure is neither bad nor good, it is only the side-product of action, therefore, it can not lead to happiness, which is seen as a good thing.

Tom Lundis <Kman26@hotmail.com>

I agree, there is more to happiness than many pleasures added to one another

Tim Andrews <tandrews@emeraldis.com>

I feel the same as you--people can learn from unpleasurable experiences and find happiness as a result.

Demetri <dandrews92@hotmail.com>

Well put.

Nichole Sanders <snk79@hotmail.com>

Cool topic and response. I agree.

Due Date <4/3/00>

Formal Comments Completed