how happy is this guy? #1. ed diener martin seligman
TRANSCRIPT
HOW HAPPY
IS THIS GUY?
The Philosoph
yof
Happiness
#1
Dinners
with theRe
ader
www.theseymourreader.com
Ed Diener
Martin Seligman
Scientists can measure people’s happiness.
Happiness is the goal of public policy.
Therefore, happiness should be a primary policy focus.
Happiness is the goal of public policy.
Therefore, happiness should be a primary policy focus.
Scientists can measure people’s happiness.
We finally can do itScientists can measure people’s happiness.
We’ve always meant to do it
So let’s do it!Therefore, happiness should be a primary policy focus.
Happiness is the goal of public policy.
The Big IdeaUnified,
comprehensive science of happiness
Policies to increase
public happiness
Scientists can measure people’s happiness.
Happiness is the goal of public policy.
Therefore, happiness should be a primary policy focus.
The Economicsof
Happiness
Scientists can measure people’s happiness.
Happiness is the goal of public policy.
Therefore, happiness should be a primary policy focus.
The Psychologyof
Happiness
Scientists can measure people’s happiness.
Happiness is the goal of public policy.
Therefore, happiness should be a primary policy focus.
The Philoso
phyof
Happiness
The Five CsConceptContentCriterionCombinationCommensurability
The Philoso
phyof
Happiness
Concept
ContentCriterion
CombinationCommensurability
#1
#2
#3
The Five Cs
Concept#1
Thomas Hurka
MIX
SPREAD
LENGTHThomas Hurka
MIX
MIX
MIX
MIX
MIX
Specialisation is costly
MIX
MIX
Well-roundedness is costly
MIX
MIX
MIX
MIX
SPREAD
QUALITY
TIME
LIFE A
LIFE B
SPREAD
QUALITY
TIME
LIFE A
LIFE B
SPREAD
QUALITY
TIME
LIFE B
LIFE A
SPREAD
QUALITY
TIME
LIFE A
LIFE B
SPREAD
QUALITY
TIME
LIFE A
LIFE B
SPREAD
QUALITY
TIME
LIFE A
LIFE B
QUALITY
TIME
LIFE A
LIFE B
LENGTH
Is a longer life better?
QUALITY
TIME
LIFE A
LIFE B
LENGTH
Is a longer life better?
career
QUALITY
TIME
LIFE A
LIFE B
LENGTH
Is a shorter life worse?
QUALITY
TIME
LIFE A
LIFE B
LENGTH
Is a shorter life worse?
story
LENGTH
QUALITY
TIME
How long should a bridge be?
Concept#1
Do these things scale
up?
Moment
Season
Life
ContentCriterion
CombinationCommensurability
#2
#3
Concept#1The Five Cs
ContentIs happiness a state
of mind?
Criterion
Can I be mistaken about my happiness?
ContentCriterionContentCriterion
#2
ContentIs happiness a state
of mind?
Happiness is pleasure and no pain
Jeremy Bentham J. S. MillYes Yes
IntensityDurationCertaintyPropinquity
FecundityPurity
ContentIs happiness a state
of mind?
Happiness is pleasure and no pain
Right now
Later on
LEVEL
DURATION
ContentIs happiness a state
of mind?
ContentIs happiness a state
of mind?
Criterion
Can I be mistaken about my happiness?
Yes Yes
YesNo
Pleasures differ in quantity only.
No—pleasures also differ in quality.
Richer lifeLess rich life
Less satisfiedMore satisfiedQuantity
Quality
Richer lifeLess rich life
Less satisfiedMore satisfiedQuantity
Quality
If the poor already have plenty of that …
… is there any reason to give them this? “Absolutely!”
ContentIs happiness a state
of mind?
Criterion
Can I be mistaken about my happiness?
Yes YesThere are pleasures
you might be ignoring!
YesNo
ContentCriterion
CombinationCommensurability
#2
#3
Concept#1The Five Cs
Combination
Commensurability CombinationCommensurability
CombinationCommensurability
#3
Combination
LEVEL
DURATIONEd Diener
Daniel Kahneman
Fred Feldman
Combination
LEVEL
DURATION
All the good stuff
All the bad stuff
Net happiness
minus
equals
Combination
LEVEL
DURATION
All the good stuff
All the bad stuff
Net happiness
minus
equals
Combination
LEVEL
DURATION
All the good stuff
All the bad stuff
Net happiness
minus
equals
Combination
LEVEL
DURATION
All the good stuff
All the bad stuff
Net happiness
minus
equals
Combination
All the good stuff
All the bad stuff
Net happiness
minus
equals How acceptable is the dirty fork?
Unacceptable!
Unacceptable!
Combination
All the good stuff
All the bad stuff
Net happiness
minus
equals How acceptable is the dirty fork?
It’s the end!!!
How bothered are you about an unacceptable
fork? Not bothered.
Combination
How acceptable is the dirty fork?
RAW SCORE
How bothered are you about an unacceptable
fork?
WEIGHTING
Satisfaction With Life Scale(SWLS)
The Questions____ In most ways my life is close to my ideal. ____ The conditions of my life are excellent.____ I am satisfied with my life.____ So far I have gotten the important things I want in life.____ If I could live my life over, I would change almost nothing.
The Scores• 7 - Strongly agree • 6 - Agree • 5 - Slightly agree • 4 - Neither agree nor disagree • 3 - Slightly disagree • 2 - Disagree • 1 - Strongly disagree
Combination
Score from 5 to 35
Satisfaction With Life Scale(SWLS)
____ In most ways my life is close to my ideal. ____ The conditions of my life are excellent.____ I am satisfied with my life.____ So far I have gotten the important things I want in life.____ If I could live my life over, I would change almost nothing.
Combination
• 7 - Strongly agree • 6 - Agree • 5 - Slightly agree • 4 - Neither agree nor disagree • 3 - Slightly disagree • 2 - Disagree • 1 - Strongly disagree
Satisfaction With Life Scale(SWLS)
____ In most ways my life is close to my ideal. ____ The conditions of my life are excellent.____ I am satisfied with my life.____ So far I have gotten the important things I want in life.____ If I could live my life over, I would change almost nothing.
Combination
6• 7 - Strongly agree • 6 - Agree • 5 - Slightly agree • 4 - Neither agree nor disagree • 3 - Slightly disagree • 2 - Disagree • 1 - Strongly disagree
Satisfaction With Life Scale(SWLS)
____ In most ways my life is close to my ideal. ____ The conditions of my life are excellent.____ I am satisfied with my life.____ So far I have gotten the important things I want in life.____ If I could live my life over, I would change almost nothing.
Combination
6• 7 - Strongly agree • 6 - Agree • 5 - Slightly agree • 4 - Neither agree nor disagree • 3 - Slightly disagree • 2 - Disagree • 1 - Strongly disagree
Satisfaction With Life Scale(SWLS)
____ In most ways my life is close to my ideal. ____ The conditions of my life are excellent.____ I am satisfied with my life.____ So far I have gotten the important things I want in life.____ If I could live my life over, I would change almost nothing.
Combination
6
2
• 7 - Strongly agree • 6 - Agree • 5 - Slightly agree • 4 - Neither agree nor disagree • 3 - Slightly disagree • 2 - Disagree • 1 - Strongly disagree
8
Satisfaction With Life Scale(SWLS)Combination
6 And how much does that matter to you?
____ In most ways my life is close to my ideal. ____ The conditions of my life are excellent.____ I am satisfied with my life.____ So far I have gotten the important things I want in life.____ If I could live my life over, I would change almost nothing.
2
Relative weights?
And how much does that matter to you?
Satisfaction With Life Scale(SWLS)
____ In most ways my life is close to my ideal. ____ The conditions of my life are excellent.____ I am satisfied with my life.____ So far I have gotten the important things I want in life.____ If I could live my life over, I would change almost nothing.
Combination
6
2
• 7 - Strongly agree • 6 - Agree • 5 - Slightly agree • 4 - Neither agree nor disagree • 3 - Slightly disagree • 2 - Disagree • 1 - Strongly disagree
8
Satisfaction With Life Scale(SWLS)
____ In most ways my life is close to my ideal. ____ The conditions of my life are excellent.____ I am satisfied with my life.____ So far I have gotten the important things I want in life.____ If I could live my life over, I would change almost nothing.
Combination
7
1
• 7 - Strongly agree • 6 - Agree • 5 - Slightly agree • 4 - Neither agree nor disagree • 3 - Slightly disagree • 2 - Disagree • 1 - Strongly disagree
LEVEL
DURATION
8
Satisfaction With Life Scale(SWLS)
____ In most ways my life is close to my ideal. ____ The conditions of my life are excellent.____ I am satisfied with my life.____ So far I have gotten the important things I want in life.____ If I could live my life over, I would change almost nothing.
Combination
5
3
• 7 - Strongly agree • 6 - Agree • 5 - Slightly agree • 4 - Neither agree nor disagree • 3 - Slightly disagree • 2 - Disagree • 1 - Strongly disagree
LEVEL
DURATION
8
Satisfaction With Life Scale(SWLS)
____ In most ways my life is close to my ideal. ____ The conditions of my life are excellent.____ I am satisfied with my life.____ So far I have gotten the important things I want in life.____ If I could live my life over, I would change almost nothing.
6
2
• 7 - Strongly agree • 6 - Agree • 5 - Slightly agree • 4 - Neither agree nor disagree • 3 - Slightly disagree • 2 - Disagree • 1 - Strongly disagree
Commensurability
8
Commensurability
BUT6 + 2 = 8
plus isn’t 8 of anything
Commensurability
isn’t 8 of anything
“incommensurable”
plus
Commensurability
“incommensurable”J. S. Mill
If you’re lacking this …
… this won’t
offset it.
Satisfaction With Life Scale(SWLS)
____ In most ways my life is close to my ideal. ____ The conditions of my life are excellent.____ I am satisfied with my life.____ So far I have gotten the important things I want in life.____ If I could live my life over, I would change almost nothing.
6
2
• 7 - Strongly agree • 6 - Agree • 5 - Slightly agree • 4 - Neither agree nor disagree • 3 - Slightly disagree • 2 - Disagree • 1 - Strongly disagree
Commensurability
8
Satisfaction With Life Scale(SWLS)
____ In most ways my life is close to my ideal. ____ The conditions of my life are excellent.____ I am satisfied with my life.____ So far I have gotten the important things I want in life.____ If I could live my life over, I would change almost nothing.
• 7 - Strongly agree • 6 - Agree • 5 - Slightly agree • 4 - Neither agree nor disagree • 3 - Slightly disagree • 2 - Disagree • 1 - Strongly disagree
Commensurability
Satisfaction With Life Scale(SWLS)
____ In most ways my life is close to my ideal. ____ The conditions of my life are excellent.____ I am satisfied with my life.____ So far I have gotten the important things I want in life.____ If I could live my life over, I would change almost nothing.
• 7 - Strongly agree • 6 - Agree • 5 - Slightly agree • 4 - Neither agree nor disagree • 3 - Slightly disagree • 2 - Disagree • 1 - Strongly disagree
Commensurability
Satisfaction With Life Scale(SWLS)
____ In most ways my life is close to my ideal. ____ The conditions of my life are excellent.____ I am satisfied with my life.____ So far I have gotten the important things I want in life.____ If I could live my life over, I would change almost nothing.
6
2
• 7 - Strongly agree • 6 - Agree • 5 - Slightly agree • 4 - Neither agree nor disagree • 3 - Slightly disagree • 2 - Disagree • 1 - Strongly disagree
Commensurability
8
CommensurabilityCombination
multi-dimensional
Satisfaction
CommensurabilityCombination
Unified, comprehensive
science of happiness
Satisfaction
CommensurabilityCombination
Unified, comprehensive
science of happiness
multi-dimensional
Positive Affect
Engagement
Satisfaction
Pleasure
6
2
multi-dimensional
CommensurabilityCombination
Positive Affect
Engagement
Satisfaction
Pleasure
6
2
Combination multi-dimensional
Commensurability
Positive Affect
Engagement
Satisfaction
Pleasure
6
2
LEVEL
DURATION
CommensurabilityCombination
The Robert
Downey, Jr
Paradox
Do these things scale
up?
The Psychol
ogyof
Happiness
HOW HAPPY
IS THIS GUY?
The Philosoph
yof
Happiness
#1
Dinners
with theRe
ader
www.theseymourreader.com