Questions On Happiness

[intellectualammo]

Does happiness only arise in the conceptual level of awareness?

As far as I can gather, it looks like happiness can only be experienced/achieved by us. The other living beings here do not possess the conceptual level of awareness that we have, they can feel pleasure, respond to stimuli, and so forth, but not achieve happiness. Any comments? What do you think?

Comments on emotions, feelings, happiness, pleasure, perceptual and conceptual level of awareness are all encouraged and welcomed.

[Eternal]

I'm sure you'll be asked to define 'happiness'.

[Hal]

I'm sure you'll be asked to define 'happiness'.

Yeah, pretty much.

I dont think threres anything wrong with saying that (eg) a dog can be happy. Some dogs do seem happier than others - they are bouncier, spend less time lying around, and generally have a disposition to behave in an energetic and outgoing way. I think most people whove owned a pet for a reasonable length of time will understand sentences like "my dog/cat has seemed depressed lately". If you want to limit use of the word 'happy' to humans, then you could introduce another word to use for animals like 'cheerful' or whatever, but I personally think 'happy' is more natural.

Obviously a dog being happy is different from a human being happy though, due to the whole conceptual nature/'long range' thing. It takes more for a human to be happy than regular food, petting, and lots of time spent outside.

Edited March 1, 2006 by Hal

[iouswuoibev]

IF you are going to use your conceptual faculty (and you will), any irrationality you accept will jeopardise your happiness. So the proper use of your reason is the means to keeping it. Dogs can be happy in achieving their unchosen values, but they don't need to worry about having the wrong ideas.