Greater Happiness for a Greater Number |
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Authors: | Ruut Veenhoven |
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Institution: | (1) Erasmus University Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands |
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Abstract: | Utilitarian philosophy holds that public policy should aim at greater happiness for a greater number of people. This moral
tenet meets many objections, on pragmatic grounds it is denounced as unfeasible and on ideological grounds as undesirable.
As a result the principle is marginal in policy making. In this paper I consider these classic philosophical qualms in the
light of recent empirical research on life-satisfaction. The data show first of all that the principle is feasible; happiness
of a great number is possible in contemporary conditions and it is also possible to create more of it. The data also show
that the promotion of happiness fits well with other ideals; happiness requires conditions that we value, such as freedom,
and happiness fosters matters that we value, such as good health and civil behaviour. Though happiness can conflict with these
values in theory, it appears to match them in practice. |
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Keywords: | |
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