StudentShare
Contact Us
Sign In / Sign Up for FREE
Search
Go to advanced search...
Free

What does sociology bring to the study of happiness - Assignment Example

Cite this document
Summary
Different scholars have indeed approached the subject of happiness differently with sociologists taking a sociological perspective in defining, studying, and understanding happiness…
Download full paper File format: .doc, available for editing
GRAB THE BEST PAPER92.5% of users find it useful
What does sociology bring to the study of happiness
Read Text Preview

Extract of sample "What does sociology bring to the study of happiness"

What does sociology bring to the study of happiness? The study of happiness is arguably one of the most interesting but equally challenging s.Different scholars have indeed approached the subject of happiness differently with sociologists taking a sociological perspective in defining, studying, and understanding happiness. Indeed, happiness can be understood from different scholarly perspectives such as philosophy, economical, religious, and sociological among others. Whereas each approach cannot provide a holistic understanding of happiness, sociologists provide a rich knowledge base to study of happiness.

Arguably, sociology provides the simplest form of understanding of happiness. Philosophical arguments have proved to be challenging even to the greatest of philosophers. For instance, philosophers such as Aristotle, Plato, and Socrates could not provide a universally acceptable line of thought regarding happiness. Indeed, their individual philosophical arguments regarding understanding of happiness are hard to understand especially for the common person. However, sociology provides a more realistic and easy to understand knowledge on the study of happiness.

For instance, sociologists approach the study of happiness from a social perspective by incorporating social behavior, attitudes, and social perception in the study of happiness. Sociology provides the widest encompassing knowledgebase to study of happiness than any other discipline seeking to inject knowledge to defining happiness (Wallis, 2005, P.1). For instance, a study by Yang provided to the knowledge of happiness by using age, period, and cohort analysis. Such interesting and enriching findings by Yang were only made possible by the sociological approach to subject of happiness.

According to Yang the closing gap in regard to race, sex and education in happiness with age, significantly correlated to “differential exposure to various social, conditions important to happiness, such as marital status and health” (Yang, 2008, p. 204). This study employed different tenets of social inequalities in understanding happiness. Bentham made a significant contribution to understanding happiness. His attempt to provide a mathematical and scientific answer to the question of happiness could not find a safe haven in the minds of philosophical and social scholars.

However, Stuart Mill, and other scholars incorporated Aristotle’s theories of happiness to come up with a better contribution to knowledge of happiness (Bok 39-44). According to Stuart, social, educational, and economic status determines definition of happiness (Goddard, and Wierzbicka, 2014). Different people from different social status would define happiness differently, thanks to the sociological approach to the subject.Early philosophers argued that happiness and morality worked in tandem and therefore making happiness an unachievable experience.

Kant argued that happiness was indeed not achievable here but only possible in afterlife. However, a sociological approach by modern sociologists demystified such early philosophical thinking and set happiness and morality apart. For instance, Christine Korsgaard postulated that happiness can be achieved with either a moral or immoral thoughts (Bok 39-44). In sociological thought, robbers, for instance, can be happy with a good robbery despite their action being immoral. Therefore, it can be argued that sociology contributes a more acceptable knowledge in efforts to understanding happiness.

In conclusion, understanding the subject of happiness calls for more than a single sided approach. Whereas, other scholarly fields such as philosophy have contributed to understanding happiness, sociology has indeed provided the simplest, wide encompassing and widely acceptable definition and understanding of happiness. Works CitedBok, Sissela. Exploring Happiness: From Aristotle to Brain Science. New Haven [Conn.: Yale University Press, 2010. Print.Goddard, Cliff and Wierzbicka, Anna. Happiness and human values in cross-cultural and historical perspective.

Oxford Scholarship Online: January 2014. Print. Wallis, Claudia. The"New"Science"of"Happiness"from"Wallis," Time"Magazine, 2005. Web 1, Jan, 2015. Yang, Yang. Social Inequalities in Happiness in the United States, 1972 to 2004: An Age-Period-Cohort Analysis. American Sociological Review, 2008, VOL. 73 (April:204–226).

Read More
Cite this document
  • APA
  • MLA
  • CHICAGO
(“What does sociology bring to the study of happiness Assignment”, n.d.)
Retrieved from https://studentshare.org/sociology/1673364-what-does-sociology-bring-to-the-study-of-happiness
(What Does Sociology Bring to the Study of Happiness Assignment)
https://studentshare.org/sociology/1673364-what-does-sociology-bring-to-the-study-of-happiness.
“What Does Sociology Bring to the Study of Happiness Assignment”, n.d. https://studentshare.org/sociology/1673364-what-does-sociology-bring-to-the-study-of-happiness.
  • Cited: 0 times

CHECK THESE SAMPLES OF What does sociology bring to the study of happiness

Aristotle - Practical Side of Ethics Rather than the Theoretical Side of Things

With those who identify happiness with virtue or some one virtue our account is in harmony; for to virtue belongs virtuous activity.... ?? In my own experience the world is not ordered in such a way that it can be useful to study exclusively theory.... One of the things I like most about Aristotle is his He does not have much patience for theory for its own sake and neither do I.... ?? I am much less interested in what is theoretically good or bad, and when I read Aristotle I see that he was similarly interested in the practical side of ethics rather than the theoretical side of things....
3 Pages (750 words) Case Study

The Challenges of Being Ethical

Zimmerman, 2010) So what does Terri do?... hellip; I could never bring myself to do anything, no matter what the potential reward, that was clearly dishonest or that would make me feel sorry that I had done it the next day.... I could never bring myself to do anything, no matter what the potential reward, that was clearly dishonest or that would make me feel sorry that I had done it the next day.... in Balderrama, 2009) We all have a conscience, and it usually tells us when something just does not feel right....
2 Pages (500 words) Case Study

Fracking as a Cause of Earthquakes

Based on such a perspective, this paper addresses the aspect that despite the fact that fracking indeed causes earthquakes, it does so to limited extent as compared to other causes Geology Case study Fracking as a cause of Earthquakes Earthquakes, also known as tremors, refer to thecreation of seismic waves occurring mainly due to the sudden release of energy in the earth's crust.... Work CitedBakhsh, Nidaa Fracking Doesn't Cause Significant Earthquakes, study Says; 04-10-2013....
1 Pages (250 words) Case Study

Impacts of Sociology on the Behaviour of People

The structure of the society is greatly guided by the study of the society.... hellip; The scientific study of society, therefore, explains deeply why people behave in a certain manner.... The scientific study of society, therefore, explains deeply why people behave in a certain manner.... In the paper “Impacts of sociology on the Behaviour of People,” the author discusses an enormous effect of sociology on the members of the society....
2 Pages (500 words) Case Study

Advertising Approaches based on Maggi Brand

It is vital for businesses to decide and evaluate what patters of language are required to be implemented for their packaging or product labels.... This paper is based on providing a vivid explanation of the advertising of brand Maggi.... Maggi was founded by Julius Maggi and founded by Nestle....
8 Pages (2000 words) Case Study

Case study, the business case for happiness

Because through happiness there would be more production rate, high-quality customer handling, and the establishment of effective working place among others. This idea… Consequently, there would be low medical expenses, higher work effectiveness, and minimal absenteeism.... This is because less time will be wasted BUSINESS CASE FOR happiness The key idea in this article is how to deal with the workers so that they are happy and enjoy theirwork.... Because through happiness there would be more production rate, high-quality customer handling, and the establishment of effective working place among others....
1 Pages (250 words) Case Study

The Direction of Happiness

The paper 'The Direction of happiness' discusses the thought experiments that provide a man with great insight into the nature of happiness.... These two lines are obsessed with the excluded ends of the nature of happiness.... Indeed the graph of the “direction of happiness” experiment including the two axes “the amount of happiness” and “time” considered as an objective mechanism to express the interrelation between “time” and “amount of happiness”....
5 Pages (1250 words) Case Study

Assessing Foodbank Welfare Agency in Terms of Food Sociology

… The paper “Assessing Foodbank Welfare Agency in Terms of Food Sociology” is a meaty variant of a case study on sociology.... The paper “Assessing Foodbank Welfare Agency in Terms of Food Sociology” is an meaty variant of a case study on sociology....
6 Pages (1500 words) Case Study
sponsored ads
We use cookies to create the best experience for you. Keep on browsing if you are OK with that, or find out how to manage cookies.
Contact Us