PHIL 309: Morality and the Pursuit of Happiness

This course provides a foundation for moral decision-making through the study of fundamental ethical theories, as students address the theme of ‘happiness’: its definition, pursuit, and attainment. Students will explore philosophical approaches to the many questions, problems, and methods associated with the pursuit of this ultimate of human goals, and how this pursuit relates to who we are as moral beings. We will be concentrating on the works of ancient and contemporary thinkers, who address topics such as: the nature of happiness, its elusiveness, expressions of its attainment, its relationship to human nature, freedom, and knowledge, and particularly its implications for and relationship to morality: generally, happiness as a conduit for moral activity that imbues human existence with meaning and value.