Happiness and Goodness

Steven M. Cahn is professor of philosophy at the Graduate Center of the City University of New York. He has written or edited some fifty books, including Fate, Logic, and Time; God, Reason, and Religion; Saints and Scamps: Ethics in Academia; and From Student to Scholar: A Candid Guide to Becoming a Professor. Christine Vitrano is associate professor of philosophy at Brooklyn College, City University of New York. She is the author of The Nature and Value of Happiness and coeditor, with Steven M. Cahn, of Happiness: Classic and Contemporary Readings in Philosophy.

Happiness and Goodness reminds me of a Socratic dialogue. The absence of jargon and use of realistic examples in this book make philosophy accessible to all interested in improving their lives. -- Andrea Tschemplik, American University Happiness and Goodness is a phenomenal book that offers innovative and penetrating insights into the most fundamental questions of human concern, such as happiness, love, morality, death, and God. Drawing from a vast array of philosophical, religious, and literary sources, Steven M. Cahn and Christine Vitrano brilliantly challenge long-standing assumptions about what it means to live a satisfying and successful life. They also have an uncanny ability to transmit their ideas in a vivid and enjoyable fashion by providing colorful vignettes and everyday life stories. I, for one, could not put the book down. -- Dov Weiss, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign This crisply written and incisive book draws on ancient thought and contemporary examples to develop a compelling account of living well. -- David Shatz, Yeshiva University I can't remember the last time I read a book about ethics that was so fascinating. -- Ed Lake, Deputy Editor, Aeon

• Foreword, by Robert B. Talisse Preface 1. Introduction 2. Wasted Lives? 3. Projects of Worth? 4. Flourishing? 5. Things That Matter? 6. Morality and Happiness 7. Morality and Unhappiness 8. Character 9. Appearing Moral 10. God and Morality 11. Heaven and Hell 12. Moral Judgments 13. Moral Standards 14. Choosing the Experience Machine 15. Happiness and Ignorance 16. Assessing Achievement 17. Pleasures and Pains 18. Fear of the Divine 19. Fear of Unfulfilled Desires 20. Fear of Death 21. Futility 22. Living Well 23. Satisfaction 24. Concluding Questions Notes Index About the Authors