Positive psychology Lecture 1: What is PP? What is not PP?

Question 1

Describe what positive psychology is?

Answer 1

“The scientific study of what makes life worth living”

“The scientific study of optimal human function [that] aims to discover and promote the factors that allow individuals and communities to thrive”

Question 2

Describe what positive psychology is NOT?

Answer 2

• Self-help techniques
• Positive-thinking
• New-Age approches

Question 3

What is the aim of the “scientific” positive psychology?

Answer 3

Aims to: “discover” and promote the “factors” that allow individuals and communities to thrive -(Empirical evidence)

Question 4

Which 2 ways to study/research within the branch of positive psychology can be found in the discipline?

Answer 4

Scientific evidence - (Empirical psychology):
- Aim to provide evidence that can live up to the same standard/status as any other scientific discipline (E.g biology, medicine).

Therories of wellbeing - (psychological theories and ethics):
- A more philosophic and thoretical side of positive psychology that can not be studied from a empirical perspective. (What is well-being, what does it mean to optimize and to thrive?)

Question 5

What are some key points in Seligman’s speech (1998): “a vision of the “good life”…..?

Answer 5

• A vision of the “good life” that is “empirically sound”, understandable and attractive.
• What actions lead to “well‑being”, to positive individuals, to “flourishing” communities, and to a “just society”?
• To know more about how normal people flourish under positive conditions: mastering “human relationships”, assuming moral responsibility, engaging in “spirituality”, and viewing “life as a work of art.””

Question 6

Name the 4 Western philosophy; Ancient philosopy (Greek and Roman):

Answer 6

• The Cyrenaics (Aristippus).
• Aristotle.
• The Epicureans
• The Stoics

Question 7

The Cyrenaics; Aristippus: What is his theory about “goal of life”, and what does it say/mean? - Explain

Answer 7

• Pleasure is the goal of life (hedone=pleasure/”njutning”).
• Immediate, particular pleasure (sex/lust, mat, alkohol)
• Take pleasures as thay pass; not intellectual, nor are that always moral. (don’t care about the moral if that’s a concern)
• The goal is not happiness; to produce happiness is tiresome; virtues are useful only if that generate immediate pleasure.
• Choose an immediate pleasure rather than wait for pleasure that might never come

Question 8

The Cyrenaics; Aristippus: Which are the plausible hedonistic arguments against present-time selfish hedonism?

Answer 8

• Common-sense selfish hedonism: “Your present pleasures can destroy your greater future pleasures”
• Moral hedonism: “Your selfish pleasures can destroy the pleasures of others”.

Question 9

Aristotle: What is meant by the highest good?

Answer 9

Eudaimonia (“happiness”) and “eu zên” (“living well”) = the highest good.

Side note:
The highest good = what is desirable for itself, is not desirable for the sake of some other good, and all other goods are desirable for its sake = happiness (eudaimonia).

Question 10

Aristotle: Explain what the two parts of Eudaimon mean and how Aristotle used the word “Eudaimon”?

Answer 10

• “Eudaimon” has two parts: “eu” means “well” and “daimon” means “divinity” or “spirit”
• Aristotle uses “eudaimon” as a mere substitute for eu zên (“living well”).

Question 11

Aristotle: What is the highest goal and what does he say about other goals like health and wealth?

Answer 11

• Being eudaimon (“happy/flourishing”) is the highest goal
• All other goals — health, wealth… — are sought because they promote it (Eudaimon), not because they are what wellbeing consists in.

Question 12

Aristotle: “What differentiates the good life of a dog and the good life of a human?”

Answer 12

• What differentiates humanity from other species is our capacity to guide ourselves by “using reason – to be intelligent, to think well. “

Question 13

Aristotle: What does living well (eudaimonia) mean?

Answer 13

• Living well (eudaimonia) consists in “living rationally”, which implies developing the character traits that human beings need in order to live life at its best (i.e. the virtues).

Question 14

Aristotle: What is happiness?

Answer 14

• happiness is, hence, NOT an experience or a feeling, happiness (eudaimonia) “is acting/being virtuous”

Question 15

Aristotle: What are some other “goods” needed beside virtue?

Answer 15

Friends, wealth, health, power…

because one’s eudaimonia is threatened if one is extremely poor, ugly, or has lost children or good friends (one’s virtuous activity can be defective).

Question 16

Eudaimonic; Epicurus: What matters the most for a good life according to Epicurus and what does it implies?

Answer 16

• A life full of pleasure is what matters for a good life, meaning we should “not seek every pleasure” (some pleasures generate later greater pain) and we should “not avoid all pains” (because some lead to greater pleasures).

Question 17

Epicurus: What is “ataraxia”, and how is it explained?

Answer 17

• The aim of life is “not maximizing pleasures” but “real pleasure”, i.e. freedom from pain and distress (“ataraxia”) = the highest pleasure

Question 18

Epicurus: Explain what is a “good life” as according to Epicurus philosophy, and give an example?

Answer 18

• The good life: Enjoying life’s simple pleasures in the company of good friends.

Example:
So, it is not just the pains of the hangover the reason not to drink alcohol, but the pleasure of being a sober, balanced, self-controlled and prudent person.

Question 19

Epicurus: Explain why Epicurus is “in part, an eudaimonist”?

Answer 19

• Epicurus is, in part, an eudaimonist “because for him virtue is necessary for happiness”. Still, he does not identify virtuous activity, in whole or in part, with happiness (as the Stoics or Aristotle do). “Virtue is just an instrument for pleasure”.

Question 20

Stoicism: What is the key to happiness according to the Stoics and what is said about pleasure?

Answer 20

• The Stoics held that virtue (wisdom, courage, justice and temperance) is necessary and sufficient for happiness/eudaimonia.
• Pleasure has nothing to do with it (but it is – sometimes - just a “preferred indifferent”).

Question 21

Stoicism: A virtuous person has what according to stoicism?

Answer 21

• The virtuous person, by simply being virtuous, “has everything that matters for happiness.” and thus can be deprived of wealth, health, pleasure… without losing what is sufficient for happiness: virtue).

Question 22

Stoicism: “indifferent” things like pleasure, money, status, power, sex… can contribute to what?

Answer 22

• Things that are “indifferent” (pleasure, money, status, power, sex..) CAN contribute to happiness/eudaimonia BUT only as part of the virtuous life..

Question 23

Stoicism: Exercising virtues implies and means what?

Answer 23

Exercising virtue implies “understanding the real value of pleasure, money, etc.” “(i.e. by being just, self-controlled, wise and courageous when in contact with these “indifferents”).”

Question 24

Buddhism: Name the “The Four Noble truths”?

Answer 24

1. Suffering
2. The origin of suffering
3. The cessation of suffering
4. The way leading to the cessation of suffering

Question 25

Buddhism: Describe “The Four Noble Truths”?

Hint:

1. Suffering
2. The origin of suffering
3. The cessation of suffering
4. The way leading to the cessation of suffering.

Answer 25

1. • Suffering – To be a living human being necessarily implies to have a large amount of physical and mental suffering in life. Suffering is pain, stress, anxiety, and dying/death. All living beings are sometimes dissatisfied/in pain: many human beings are very often dissatisfied/in pain.
2. • The Origin of Suffering – An important part of human suffering (but not all) is caused by craving, clinging and aversion. Suffering is increased - or created out of nothing - by craving/clinging/aversion. BUT humans have the capacity to understand this.
3. • The Cessation of Suffering – It is possible through understanding the role of craving/clinging/aversion.
     - Wellbeing is possible if we (a) cease to amplify what is already bad and (b) cease to try to avoid what is unavoidable.

Example: No selfishness, no desiring things that make us more unhappy, no fighting for social status, not being obsessed by the past and the future, etc.

4. • The Way Leading to the Cessation of Suffering – Such cessation of suffering (peace of mind, Nirvana) is achieved through cultivating the noble eightfold path.

Question 26

Buddhism: Name “The Eightfold Path”? (1-8)

Answer 26

1. Right View
2. Right Thought
3. Right Speech
4. Right Action
5. Right Livelihood
6. Right Effort
7. Right Mindfulness
8. Right Concentration

Question 27

Buddhism: What is said about the MENTAL DISCIPLINE; right effort, right mindfulness, right concentration?

Answer 27

Right Effort:
“Striving to prevent” that evil and mentally unhealthy/negative states arise and overcome them when they have arisen. “Striving to produce” mentally healthy/positive states and maintain them.

Right mindfulness:
Wakefulness, lucidity, alertness. Skillfully “paying attention.” “Being intensely aware” but “without grasping or rejecting.” Mindfulness of the breath, the body, sensations, outer world, emotions, thought, desires…

Right concentration:
“Focusing trained in meditation to give stability to the mind.” Leads to serenity and equilibrium, makes one less vulnerable to negative impulses, anxiety and respond to problems with wisdom and compassion.

Question 28

Buddhism: What is said about compassion?

Answer 28

• Existence is seen in Buddhism as characterized by impermanence and suffering.
• Morover, according to Buddha, there is no permanent, substantial, self and to get rid of the belief in its existence is a fundamental source of wellbeing.
• Being free from egocentrism, selfishness, self-obsession… contributes to attaining the highest forms of wellbeing.
• Without self-obsession and selfishness, you experience the suffering of others as so important as your own (through compassion) and their happiness as important as yours (through lovingkindness).

Question 29

Buddhism: Name the Forms of (Buddhist-inspired) meditation relevant for positive psychology:

Answer 29

• Meditation on the breath, awareness of the body (“body scan”), listening meditation, questioning meditation…
• Lovingkindness meditation.
• Compassion meditation.
• Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) (Jon Kabat-Zinn…).
• Self-Compassion Meditation (Kristin Neff…).