The Good Life (Spring 2009)
Description
This class will focus on one of the most fundamental questions in moral philosophy: What makes a life good for the one who lives it? To answer this question is to provide a theory of well-being. We will study four different types of answers: Hedonism (pleasure), Preferentism (desire-satisfaction), Perfectionism (perfecting human nature), and Objective List theories. The readings will come from a mix of classical and contemporary sources. We'll be thinking about experience machines, deceived business men, porky pig, sadistic killers of children, ascetic hermits, evil universes, grass counters, strangers on trains, and drug addicts. Along the way we explore several related issues. Is there anything common to the experiences that we call "pleasures"? Can you can be harmed after your death? Can one have a good but meaningless life? What is the meaning of life?
Assignments