We all strive for happiness in life, yet our notions of what it comprises can be vague and inconsistent. The "pursuit of happiness" is actually written into the American constitution, while Chinese philosophy has concepts of joy but not happiness. Is it a psychological state or simply the result of living a comfortable life? And why are people so fascinated by trying to define happiness and how to achieve it? That fascination led Philosophy Professor Timothy O'Leary to instigate a major research project entitled Happiness East and West, on comparative philosophical approaches in the two cultures to what constitutes happiness, and how those ideas have shifted over time.
O'Leary draws on philosophical resources from both cultures to help determine what factors are considered important for achieving happiness in today's world. He feels the human preoccupation with happiness comes partly from the fact that the world changes constantly and so the ingredients that make a happy life change. Studying the subject via the two cultural traditions may cast some understanding on this and allow researchers to build new theoretical frameworks enabling different disciplines to come together. For example, the study also includes a collaborative project with HKU's Department of Psychology on emotion and psychological well-being.
Happiness East and West is at https://teoleary.com/happiness-east-and-west/
(Text reproduced from Faculty of Arts 100: A Century in Words and Images.)
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