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The Virtues of Happiness

A Theory of the Good Life

Paul Bloomfield author

Format:Paperback

Publisher:Oxford University Press Inc

Published:30th Jun '16

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The Virtues of Happiness cover

As children, we learn life is unfair: bad things happen to good people and good things happen to bad people. So, it is natural to ask, "Why play fairly in an unfair world? If being immoral will get you what you want and you know you can't get caught, why not do it?" The answers, as argued herein, begin by rejecting the idea that morality and happiness are at odds with one another. From this point of view, we can see how immorality undermines its perpetrator's happiness: self-respect is necessary for happiness, and immorality undermines self-respect. As we see how our self-respect is conditional upon how we respect others, we learn to evaluate and value ourselves, and others, appropriately. The central thesis is the result of combining the ancient Greek conception of happiness (eudaimonia) with a modern conception of self-respect. We become happy, we live the best life we can, only by becoming virtuous: by being as courageous, just, temperate, and wise as can be. These are the virtues of happiness. This book explains why it is bad to be bad and good to be good, and what happens to people's values as their practical rationality develops.

...Bloomfield's book is an excellent read... His interweaving of happiness and self-respect is cogent and unique, and shows how much fertile ground there is in combining virtue and deontological approaches. In covering these ideas as well as issues in value theory, this book has much to offer for anyone broadly interested in ethical theory. * Social Theory and Practice *
...He also offers an excellent argument against the Stoics... All in all, Bloomfield's book makes an important contribution to the eudaimonistic literature and is also a pleasure to read. * Notre Dame Philosophical Reviews Online *

ISBN: 9780190612009

Dimensions: 140mm x 216mm x 18mm

Weight: 318g

272 pages