Module #1 Introduction to the Course Overview of the course, exploring the concept of happiness and its significance in ancient and modern philosophy
Module #2 Ancient Greek Roots:Homer and the Epicureans Examining the earliest Greek conceptions of happiness, including Homers emphasis on honor and Epicurus concept of hedonic calculus
Module #3 Aristotles Eudaimonia In-depth analysis of Aristotles concept of eudaimonia, including its relationship to virtue, reason, and flourishing
Module #4 The Stoic Perspective:Resilience and Indifference Exploring the Stoic view of happiness as freedom from negative emotions and desires, and its connection to reason and self-control
Module #5 Epicurean Hedonism:Pleasure and Pain Delving into Epicurus hedonistic philosophy, including its focus on moderate pleasures and the avoidance of pain
Module #6 Roman Stoicism:Epictetus and Seneca Examining the development of Stoicism in ancient Rome, including the ideas of Epictetus and Seneca on happiness and inner strength
Module #7 Augustine and the Christian Tradition Investigating the Christian concept of happiness in the thought of Augustine, including its relationship to faith, hope, and charity
Module #8 Medieval Philosophers:Aquinas and the Aristotelian Revival Analyzing the Aristotelian revival in medieval philosophy, including Thomas Aquinas integration of Aristotelian ideas with Christian theology
Module #9 The Enlightenment and the Rise of Modernism Exploring the shift towards modernity, including the ideas of John Locke, David Hume, and Immanuel Kant on happiness and human nature
Module #10 Jeremy Bentham and the Utilitarian Calculus Examining Benthams utilitarianism, including its focus on maximizing pleasure and happiness for the greatest number
Module #11 John Stuart Mill and the Critique of Utilitarianism Analyzing Mills commentary on Benthams utilitarianism, including his emphasis on individuality, freedom, and higher pleasures
Module #12 Existentialism and the Search for Authentic Happiness Exploring the existentialist perspectives of Jean-Paul Sartre, Martin Heidegger, and Albert Camus on authenticity, freedom, and happiness
Module #13 Positive Psychology and the Science of Happiness Examining the modern scientific study of happiness, including the work of Martin Seligman, Daniel Kahneman, and others
Module #14 Modern Debates:Happiness, Well-being, and Flourishing Discussing contemporary debates on happiness, including the distinctions between happiness, well-being, and flourishing
Module #15 Happiness and Virtue:A Contemporary Revival Examining the revival of virtue ethics in modern philosophy, including its implications for our understanding of happiness
Module #16 Global Perspectives:Happiness in Non-Western Traditions Exploring conceptions of happiness in non-Western philosophical traditions, including Buddhism, Taoism, and Confucianism
Module #17 Happiness and Technology:The Impact of Digital Culture Investigating the effects of digital technology on happiness, including the role of social media, virtual reality, and artificial intelligence
Module #18 Conclusion:Integrating Ancient and Modern Insights Synthesizing key takeaways from the course, exploring ways to integrate ancient and modern perspectives on happiness in everyday life
Module #19 Case Studies in Happiness:Real-Life Examples and Applications Analyzing real-life case studies of happiness, including applications to personal growth, relationships, and professional development
Module #20 Designing Happiness:A Practical Toolkit Providing a practical toolkit for cultivating happiness, including strategies for habit formation, mindfulness, and goal-setting
Module #21 Critiques of Happiness:Challenges and Objections Addressing common critiques and objections to the pursuit of happiness, including concerns about superficiality, narcissism, and cultural bias
Module #22 Happiness and the Good Life:A Philosophical Synthesis Exploring the relationship between happiness and the good life, including the role of virtue, meaning, and purpose
Module #23 Beyond Happiness:Exploring Alternatives to the Pursuit of Happiness Examining alternative values and goals, including the pursuit of fulfillment, flourishing, and personal growth
Module #24 Comparative Philosophy of Happiness:East Meets West Comparing and contrasting Eastern and Western conceptions of happiness, including implications for cross-cultural understanding and dialogue
Module #25 Happiness and Culture:The Role of Societal and Cultural Factors Investigating the impact of societal and cultural factors on happiness, including the influence of media, politics, and economics
Module #26 Happiness and Health:The Intersections of Well-being and Ill-being Examining the complex relationships between happiness, health, and well-being, including the role of mental health and illness
Module #27 Happiness in the Digital Age:Virtual and Augmented Realities Exploring the implications of digital technologies on happiness, including the potential benefits and risks of virtual and augmented realities
Module #28 The Future of Happiness:Emerging Trends and Directions Looking ahead to the future of happiness research and applications, including emerging trends and areas of inquiry
Module #29 Applying Ancient Wisdom to Modern Problems Using ancient philosophical insights to address contemporary challenges and problems, including stress, anxiety, and depression
Module #30 Course Wrap-Up & Conclusion Planning next steps in Happiness in Ancient and Modern Philosophy career
