Following are the first three paragraphs of an op-ed which appeared in The Wall Street Journal on 15 April 2022. I will post the complete text as soon as my contributor agreement allows (in about 30 days).
Happiness Is a Warm Company?
J. Budziszewski
“A hot course at Harvard Business School promises to teach future leaders an elusive skill—managing happiness,” according to a recent Wall Street Journal article. This development was expected. After languishing for decades in philosophy departments, the study of happiness has become a growth industry.
Paying more attention to human well-being is a good thing, and those who try to teach happiness “skills” deserve an A for effort. But does the “happiness studies” approach get its subject entirely right?
Having written a new book about happiness, I admit I have skin in this game, but allow me to be contrarian. The classical philosophers did know something about happiness—and the happiness-studies crowd has forgotten not only most of their insights but also most of their questions. Let’s review some things they would have taught us ….
For the rest, please to go the WSJ -- or see it here in a month.