Six Myths about the Good Life
Encyclopedia
Six Myths about the Good Life: Thinking about what has Value is a popular philosophical
book
by Joel J. Kupperman
of the University of Connecticut
. Its primary focus is on what has value
, and which values are most worth espousing in life
— a question central to what is known as the philosophy of life.
While some philosophers have come to see the pursuit of happiness
as central to the making of a good life, others point to the value of achievement. Kupperman sees grounds for both conceptions, but finds them wanting in simple and general terms. Drawing on classical Chinese, Indian, Greek and Roman sources, Six Myths explores this and in the process gives its readership a general impression of what Kupperman believes a good life ought to be. The "broader theme", according to reviewer and Rhodes University
philosopher Samantha Vice, "is an exploration of particular values and their role in making a life desirable." Kupperman seeks also to debunk the apparently widely-held notion that a simple account suffices.
There is also a seventh chapter, entitled "How Can We Know What Has Value?", and an appendix addressing ensuant concerns.
's Philip J. Ivanhoe
, "is the best introduction to philosophical accounts of the good life available. An excellent choice for any student of philosophy, this original and revealing study will inform, stimulate, and challenge even the most sophisticated reader. Kupperman combines the distinctive care, precision, and analytic power of philosophy with the best insights of contemporary psychology and a sophisticated, sensitive, and wise appreciation of the Indian
, Chinese
, and Western philosophical
traditions. The result is a modern classic."
Charles Guignon of the University of South Florida
was similarly impressed:
Philosophy
Philosophy is the study of general and fundamental problems, such as those connected with existence, knowledge, values, reason, mind, and language. Philosophy is distinguished from other ways of addressing such problems by its critical, generally systematic approach and its reliance on rational...
book
Book
A book is a set or collection of written, printed, illustrated, or blank sheets, made of hot lava, paper, parchment, or other materials, usually fastened together to hinge at one side. A single sheet within a book is called a leaf or leaflet, and each side of a leaf is called a page...
by Joel J. Kupperman
Joel J. Kupperman
Joel J. Kupperman is Professor of Philosophy at the University of Connecticut, most renowned for his Six Myths about the Good Life, a popular philosophical volume centering on those values most worth engaging in human life...
of the University of Connecticut
University of Connecticut
The admission rate to the University of Connecticut is about 50% and has been steadily decreasing, with about 28,000 prospective students applying for admission to the freshman class in recent years. Approximately 40,000 prospective students tour the main campus in Storrs annually...
. Its primary focus is on what has value
Value (ethics)
In ethics, value is a property of objects, including physical objects as well as abstract objects , representing their degree of importance....
, and which values are most worth espousing in life
Life
Life is a characteristic that distinguishes objects that have signaling and self-sustaining processes from those that do not, either because such functions have ceased , or else because they lack such functions and are classified as inanimate...
— a question central to what is known as the philosophy of life.
While some philosophers have come to see the pursuit of happiness
Happiness
Happiness is a mental state of well-being characterized by positive emotions ranging from contentment to intense joy. A variety of biological, psychological, religious, and philosophical approaches have striven to define happiness and identify its sources....
as central to the making of a good life, others point to the value of achievement. Kupperman sees grounds for both conceptions, but finds them wanting in simple and general terms. Drawing on classical Chinese, Indian, Greek and Roman sources, Six Myths explores this and in the process gives its readership a general impression of what Kupperman believes a good life ought to be. The "broader theme", according to reviewer and Rhodes University
Rhodes University
Rhodes University is a public research university located in Grahamstown in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa, established in 1904. It is the province’s oldest university, and is one of the four universities in the province...
philosopher Samantha Vice, "is an exploration of particular values and their role in making a life desirable." Kupperman seeks also to debunk the apparently widely-held notion that a simple account suffices.
The myths
- "Pursuing Comfort and Pleasure Will Lead to the Best Possible LifeHedonismHedonism is a school of thought which argues that pleasure is the only intrinsic good. In very simple terms, a hedonist strives to maximize net pleasure .-Etymology:The name derives from the Greek word for "delight" ....
". - "The Desirable Life Equals the One That Is Most Happy".
- "The Good Life Requires Reaching a Good Equilibrium, a Point at Which the Important DifficultiesDifficultyDifficulty may refer to:*a problem*the difficulty level in a video game*Countermajoritarian difficultyFictional:*Hill Difficulty, in Pilgrim's Progress...
Are Resolved". - "ReasonReasonReason is a term that refers to the capacity human beings have to make sense of things, to establish and verify facts, and to change or justify practices, institutions, and beliefs. It is closely associated with such characteristically human activities as philosophy, science, language, ...
Rather Than EmotionEmotionEmotion is a complex psychophysiological experience of an individual's state of mind as interacting with biochemical and environmental influences. In humans, emotion fundamentally involves "physiological arousal, expressive behaviors, and conscious experience." Emotion is associated with mood,...
s Would Be the Best Indicator of What Would Be a Good Life". - "There Is No Real Connection, At Least in This Life, Between True Virtue and a Desirable Kind of Life".
- "True Virtue is Impeccable".
There is also a seventh chapter, entitled "How Can We Know What Has Value?", and an appendix addressing ensuant concerns.
Critical reception
"This," declared Boston UniversityBoston University
Boston University is a private research university located in Boston, Massachusetts. With more than 4,000 faculty members and more than 31,000 students, Boston University is one of the largest private universities in the United States and one of Boston's largest employers...
's Philip J. Ivanhoe
Philip J. Ivanhoe
Philip J. Ivanhoe is an historian of Chinese thought, particularly of Confucianism and Neo-Confucianism. He is a professor at the City University of Hong Kong...
, "is the best introduction to philosophical accounts of the good life available. An excellent choice for any student of philosophy, this original and revealing study will inform, stimulate, and challenge even the most sophisticated reader. Kupperman combines the distinctive care, precision, and analytic power of philosophy with the best insights of contemporary psychology and a sophisticated, sensitive, and wise appreciation of the Indian
Indian philosophy
India has a rich and diverse philosophical tradition dating back to ancient times. According to Radhakrishnan, the earlier Upanisads constitute "...the earliest philosophical compositions of the world."...
, Chinese
Chinese philosophy
Chinese philosophy is philosophy written in the Chinese tradition of thought. The majority of traditional Chinese philosophy originates in the Spring and Autumn and Warring States era, during a period known as the "Hundred Schools of Thought", which was characterized by significant intellectual and...
, and Western philosophical
Western philosophy
Western philosophy is the philosophical thought and work of the Western or Occidental world, as distinct from Eastern or Oriental philosophies and the varieties of indigenous philosophies....
traditions. The result is a modern classic."
Charles Guignon of the University of South Florida
University of South Florida
The University of South Florida, also known as USF, is a member institution of the State University System of Florida, one of the state's three flagship universities for public research, and is located in Tampa, Florida, USA...
was similarly impressed:
Six Myths is a consistently clear and engaging book, in the same league as Bertrand RussellBertrand RussellBertrand Arthur William Russell, 3rd Earl Russell, OM, FRS was a British philosopher, logician, mathematician, historian, and social critic. At various points in his life he considered himself a liberal, a socialist, and a pacifist, but he also admitted that he had never been any of these things...
's classic work, The Conquest of Happiness [...]. The authorAuthorAn author is broadly defined as "the person who originates or gives existence to anything" and that authorship determines responsibility for what is created. Narrowly defined, an author is the originator of any written work.-Legal significance:...
's grasp of Eastern thoughtEastern philosophyEastern philosophy includes the various philosophies of Asia, including Chinese philosophy, Iranian philosophy, Japanese philosophy, Indian philosophy and Korean philosophy...
and the "positive psychologyPositive psychologyPositive psychology is a recent branch of psychology whose purpose was summed up in 1998 by Martin Seligman and Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi: "We believe that a psychology of positive human functioning will arise, which achieves a scientific understanding and effective interventions to build thriving in...
" movement makes the book useful to a very wide audience.