Survey data permanently settles philosophical question

In news from the emerging field of happiness research, a recent study shows a strong correlation between material goods and objective factors (like high levels of sunlight in a given geography) and subjective ratings of happiness.  (The link is to a methodological objection to the study itself, which as a purely qualitative public philosopher I’m not qualified to adjudicate).

I should say that I always find it odd when studies of this nature begin with “philosophers have debated since ancient times…”, as if the interesting philosophical debate revolves around positive survey data rather than normative judgments of what happiness should mean.

But come on, even Seneca would have bowed to materialism if he had seen the new iPad, right??

-John

Related posts:

  1. No philosophical shift
  2. Share your toys…and your astronomy data?
  3. Happiness is an elephant
  4. An honest question for Wieseltier
  5. On commuting and value neutrality

January 28, 2010 · Filed Under Uncategorized

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  • Editors

    Jacob Bronsther is a law student at NYU, a former Fulbright Scholar to Mauritius, and a graduate of Cornell University. He has an MPhil in Political Theory from the University of Oxford.

  • Sam Gill is a consultant in Washington and a graduate of the University of Chicago. He studied Political Theory at Oxford as a Rhodes Scholar.

  • Marc Grinberg is a Presidential Management Fellow with the U.S. government and a graduate of Princeton University. He earned an MPhil in Political Theory from the University of Oxford.

  • John Rood is the founder of Next Step Test Preparation and a graduate of Michigan State University. He has an AM in Political Theory from the University of Chicago.

  • Luke Freedman is a student at Carleton College, pursuing a double major in Philosophy and Political Science.


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