What Is Feeling Good? And Does It Really Make Life Better?

Instructor: Leonard D. Katz MIT ESP Summer 2007

Philosophy involves attempting to think clearly, rigorously, and systematically about questions that more specialized disciplines (e.g., the sciences) on their own do not answer. We will start with some questions and arguments of Plato, a founding figure in Western philosophy, and work toward distinguishing different kinds of pleasure or happiness (as neuroscience may suggest) about which we may answer our main questions in the course title differently (as some philosophers and Buddhist meditation literature suggest). We shall test theories against our experience and examine our lives in the light of theories. We shall probably not achieve final, agreed-on answers to our questions. But we may hope, by working at these together, to acquire greater ease, comfort, and skill in sharing friendly argument and joint inquiry. Short readings and questions to prepare for discussion will be assigned.
The instructor's web-published encyclopedia article is available for reference and further guidance: For its notes: …pleasure/notes.html

The following syllabus is very tentative and open to suggestions and change.

Tell me what in the web article or its linked notes especially interests you and it may be put in!

July 1 and July 8

Reading: Plato, Gorgias 495D-497A

Arguments and Exercises

Application to the Reading : Discussion

July 15

Plato, Gorgias: Discussion left over from last time on the argument and its upshot

How might pleasure and pain be related?

Plato’s Asceticism in the Gorgias and Phaedo

Synopsis of Plato’s Other Contributions to Thinking about Pleasure ((SEP “Pleasure”, 2.2.1)

Aristotle’s view of pleasure and its place in human life, starting with two Protrepticus Arguments (handout)

His halfway defense of hedonism ((SEP “Pleasure”, 2.2.2)

Discussion: teleology (nature as purpose-oriented), the pleasures of children and animals, life success vs. pleasure

July 22

The Medieval Aristotelian Tradition

Contemporary Philosophers: Is pleasure a state directed on objects or contents? ((SEP “Pleasure”, 2.3))

The status of contentless moods

July 29

Pleasure as Experience (SEP “Pleasure”, 1)

August 5

More than one kind of ‘feeling good’?

The Buddhist meditation tradition (SEP “Pleasure”, 3.3, pars. 3 & 4))

August 12

Neuroscience: dopamine, mu-opioid systems, etc. (SEP “Pleasure”, 3)

Can these distinctions help us make sense of our lives?

Help us change our minds about what is worthwhile or important?

August 19

Scientific and ethical issues

Wrapping up

Concluding Discussion: What really matters in life?