Happiness The Most Important Values Of Happiness

What is happiness? This question has no single answer. There have been numerous articles and books published that researched what happiness is and how to achieve it, all with different findings and variations. I have condensed my findings from multiple articles in this paper. There are many facets contributing to ones happiness. I believe that some of the most important values are hard work and dedication, relationships and family, gratitude and finally, acceptance of others. Hard work and Dedication. Hard work and dedication can get you to where you want to go in life. If one takes things for granted, they will not go anywhere in life. But if you work hard and dedicate oneself to a cause, you can succeed. In the article â€Å"Brainology†Ã¢â‚¬ ¦show more content†¦Before you can be grateful, you have to accept life the way it is with all its imperfections. Acceptance of others. If people were able to accept one another as they were, everyone would be happier. They would not have to put energy into putting each other down. In â€Å"Religion for Everyone† by Alain De Botton, she emphasizes that everyone can stand to have a small amount of religion in their life. Even if it is just upholding some of the values of a religion. â€Å"Even if we believe very little of what they tell us . . . we can nevertheless admire their understanding of what separates us from strangers† (2). Despite someones differences, one can still admire, or at the least not put down, anothers beliefs. The world would be a happier place. We could put that energy from hate into something more useful. When we love someone we accept their flaws and faults. If we were able to do that for perfectly good strangers, we would be able to connect and have better relationships. Relationships and Family. An important factor in happiness is having healthy relationships. Claudia Wallis wrote an article called, â€Å"The New Science of Happiness.† In this article she examines happiness, what it is and how to obtain it. One thing that she mentions is how relationships can affect your mood. â€Å"Almost every person feels happier when they’re with other people† (7). A person can have one or two close friends or have a whole platoon of them, but it hasShow MoreRelatedIs Relative Income Rather Than The Income Itself?1719 Words   |  7 Pagesaround them. This is one of the main determinants in ranking the level of happiness for people in middle to upper-class society. Whenever someone is â€Å"among people richer than oneself can be detrimental to well-being† (Boyce 471), because they think of themselves as not good enough compared to those around them. But when moving onto people making upwards of $300,000 there is a noticeable change in how they perceive happiness. In my life, I grew up with a wealthy family and everyone looked at me asRead MoreMill’S Two Proofs For The Ultimate Norm Of Morality . In907 Words   |  4 Pagesmorality, Mill claims that the utilitarian must claim that happiness happens to be the one and only thing that is desirable in itself. He also claims that the only proof of desirability is desire and goes ahead to give an argument that happiness happens to be the one and only thing that should be desired (Selling, 2016). Most importantly, Mill argues that an individual does desire his own happiness for its personal reasons and that makes happiness to be desired by and becomes desirable for its own sakeRead MoreThe Ethical Theories Of Leadership Essay1535 Words   |  7 Pagesthat develops over time. Even though there are many different style of leadership, one thing that most leaders have in common are there values. All leaders want the best for those that they lead, and they want s uccessfully accomplish the task that they are given. In the military, a leader’s ethics are what guide them in day-to-day life and sometimes life or death situations. That is why it is important for leaders to have strong moral guidelines to help them navigate the difficult task of leadingRead MoreHedonism and Desire Satisfaction Theory861 Words   |  4 Pageslife better. It is surprising, then, that the most plausible form of hedonism is desire satisfactionism. The hedonism theory focuses on pleasure/happiness while the desire-satisfaction theory elucidates the relevance of fulfilling our desires. Pleasure, in some points of view is the subjective satisfaction of desire. I will explain the similarities and the differences between the desire-satisfaction theory of value and hedonism. I will also discuss the most successful theory and defend my argument byRead MoreA Society Of Constant Consumption Of Materialistic Objects1617 Words   |  7 Pagesdecades ago. With the advan cement of technology, conveniences like these have been made possible through being able to just charge everything—this has become a national addiction. There is still a magnitude of people who would say money couldn’t buy happiness but the truth is a lot more in depth than that; money does in fact play an essential role in everyone’s overall life gratification. Even though there is that urge and desire for materialistic goods, people are still sometimes caught in the dilemmaRead MoreThe Roots to Happiness907 Words   |  4 Pages The Roots to Happiness Whether you are down to your last dime, bumming around in your worn down denim, or parading around town in your Bugatti Veyron; your attitude towards life is what you make it to be. With an optimistic outlook, you can obtain happiness in any given situation that life deals you. Do you know how to be happy? Or are you patiently waiting for happiness to find you? Looking for said happiness won’t necessarily work easily as one might think, but your thoughts and actions willRead MoreMoney and Happiness1743 Words   |  7 PagesCan Money Buy Happiness In todays materialistic world, the phrase that ‘money cant buy happiness is tending to be proved hence otherwise. Social research and surveys have shown results based on an individuals income, health and the political scenario which is dominant in his or her region. It is quite obvious that the gap between the privileged and the not so is growing into a great divide giving rise to different class and status, thus defining ones social circle. It should therefore be understoodRead MoreDoes Marital Status Contributes More Happiness?1655 Words   |  7 PagesStatus Contributes More Happiness? A Study of Ontario Introduction With the improvement of living standards, happiness research is increasingly becoming a focus in today s world. Research has been published on the effect of marriage on life satisfaction. Kelly Musick and Larry Bumpass (2012) suggest that marriage is not always the most important determinant of life satisfaction. Married couples have better health than cohabiters; nevertheless, cohabiters have more happiness and self-esteem than marriedRead MoreEthical Egoism1596 Words   |  7 Pagesagainst the proper code your society. Prison also has an external influence on our decision making because it serves as a threat for the negative consequences of disobeying laws, such as the loss of our freedom. Internal factors are our own self-value and personal virtues as well as our sense of selfishness and our concerns of morality. Ethical egoism is the philosophical belief that moral agents ought to do what is in their own self-interest because that is the rational way to live. It contrastsRead MoreImmanuel Kant And John Stuart Mill1206 Words   |  5 Pagesphilosophers with two different views on a person’s moral conscious. Kant believes morality is a duty that people should hold above their own happiness. On the other hand, Mill believes happiness is the goal of morality and the more happiness is acquired at the end is the most moral. According to Immanuel Kant, morality is a duty people must hold above their own happiness. For something to be morally good it must be put into action to fulfill the law of morality and not just to conform to the law. Kant’s

The Middle Ages A Look At The Dark Ages - 718 Words

Zachary Plew 4/18/17 The Middle Ages is associated with the Dark Ages due to the period including social disorder, political turmoil and widespread disease. The Middle Ages was a period between 500 A.D. to 1500 A.D. during which Europe experienced many drastic changes following the fall of Rome. Some of these changes were beneficial, but the changes also caused negative effects too. Overall, the Middle Ages was a dark time for Europe. The Middle Ages was a dark time for Europe because there was widespread disease and famine. For example, Throughout the first century of the Dark Ages Europe made slow but tangible progress and Emperor Justinian was on the verge of reuniting the continent when the bubonic plague hit and killed†¦show more content†¦Trade was the backbone that held society up. Furthermore, this trade collapse caused a lack of culture. People started to steer away from their native cultures. This also caused a lack of education. More people became illiterate, making it increasingly d ifficult to learn and communicate (â€Å"The Dark Ages†). Most of all, a new social order arose from the trade collapse. This new order was Feudalism, where there was a social hierarchy. Peasants, serfs, served the lords and his nobles (â€Å"The Dark Ages: Really So Dark?†). This emphasizes the major importance of trade in Europe, and the medieval peoples would be nowhere without it. One last reason as to why the Middle Ages was a dark time for Europe is the constant threat of violence. Case in point, Whether as witnesses, victims or perpetrators, people from the highest ranks of society to the lowest experienced violence as an omnipresent danger in daily life (â€Å"10 Dangers of the Medieval Period†). This demonstrates that no matter where you go, man or woman, there will be violence everywhere. Consequently, this everyday violence would lead to bigger things, like war. The religions of the time were constantly fighting, and it eventually led to the Crusades, a conflict between the Muslims and Christians (â€Å"The Dark Ages†). The people and countries were also constantly fighting causing lords of the time to struggle for power and countries attack each other. Outside forces, like the Huns, invaded these weakened countries, whichShow MoreRelatedMiddle Ages: Dark or Not? Essay1108 Words   |  5 Pagesdownfall was called the Middle Ages, more infamously recalled as the Dark Ages; but were these years truly as dark as historians say? These medieval times lasted for approximately one thousand years, could such a long time period have been all that dreadful? The answer will soon become clear. The Middle Ages deserved to have the alias of the Dark Ages because there were several severe illnesses, the monarchs were cruel, and the crusades brought the death of many. The Middle Ages are known for its abundantRead MoreThe Transition Of Medieval And Modern Times1235 Words   |  5 Pageshappened over a long period of time. The middle ages marked a dark time in Europe’s history, and the people were anxious to get out. The Renaissance began, and art emerged to create a brighter society. During the Reformation, the country shifted away from the Roman Catholic Church, and many Protestant religions emerged. The Scientific Revolution also marked a change in medical to modern by creating new ways to look at the world and mathematics. The Age of Discovery marked yet another change inRead MoreThe Dark Ages : A Visual And Metaphorical Statement1157 Words   |  5 Pages The Dark Ages has been described as both a visual and metaphorical statement to sum up the years beginning around A.D. 450 and continuing until A.D. 1000.At this time, the Roman Empire did not have an emperor. Collectively, this time period is more popularly known as the middle ages and the common topic of significance is the monasteries and the shift in the church’s focus. Even scholars are truly grasping this concept less and less as the years go on. The term â€Å"Dark Ages† has become tooRead MoreFinal Paper1445 Words   |  6 PagesAshley Cobuzzi Professor Dr. Brown Intro. To Humanities December 16, 2012 A Look Into The Arts Ashley Cobuzzi Professor Dr. Brown Intro. To Humanities December 16, 2012 A Look Into The Arts Art is one aspect of the past that has carried on for decades. Art in any form may it be poetry, novels, and playwright, sculpting as wellRead MoreMiddle Ages And Renaissance Essay1123 Words   |  5 PagesMiddle ages Renaissance Stephani Klingensmith Western Governors University The middle ages, also known as the dark ages lasting about a thousand years. A time in history when life was hard and people were very poor. According to the article written in 2008 The middle ages western reserve public media, the middle ages were from 476A.D to 1450A.D. The article stated that the middle ages were called the dark ages because, the great civilization of Rome and Greece had been conquered. BecauseRead MoreComparison of Two Historical Art Periods1131 Words   |  5 Pages Comparison of Two Historical Art Periods: Middle Ages (Gothic) and Renaissance Architecture Christina Plunkett Western Governors University IWT1 Humanities Task 1 Gothic style came about in the middle of the twelfth century. It was named after the Goths that controlled France during that time. It was developed as a result of Christian ideals. Christian leaders wanted big, tall, ornate churches to represent their strong faith. Later it was also used for non-religious buildingsRead MoreA Clean, Well-Lighted Place Essay938 Words   |  4 Pagesinclude an old man, a young waiter, and a middle-aged waiter. The old man who is drinking in the Spanish cafà © experiences his own inner conflicts; this is shown in dialogue between the two waiters: â€Å"’Last week he tried to commit suicide,’ one waiter said. ’Why?’ ‘He was in despair.’ ‘What about?’ ‘Nothing.’ ‘How do you know it was nothing?’ ‘He has plenty of money’† (Hemingway 186). This quote shows the inner despair of the old man but also the conflict between ages. Ernest Hemingway chooses the charactersRead MoreKing Arthur: The Myths and the Actual Person Essay733 Words   |  3 Pageshistorical records, there was no one named King Arthur in the 5th and the early 6th centuries. If we look at the timeline of Middle Age Kings, the name King Arthur does not appear in the documentation. The middle Ages, also knows as the Dark Ages was a time when knowledge and learning were scarce. The Dark Ages influenced the British people because of the loss of records and technology. During the Dark Ages, development of science ceased. It was one of the darkest eras of human history because there wereRead MoreEssay on Michelangelo and Renaissance Religion1148 Words   |  5 Pagesafter a long period of decay, the Middle Ages. Until the revolutionary thinkers of the Renaissance, much of Europe was dormant and stagnant, immersed in the Dark Ages where the Christian God was viewe d as a punishing and distant force. During the Middle Ages, Christian historians broke history into three divisions: the creation, the incarnation of Jesus Christ and the anticipated last judgement. Medieval scholars believed that they were living in the final age before the last judgement. The RenaissanceRead MoreThe Late Middle Ages : The Age Of Discovery And Innovation1224 Words   |  5 PagesThe Late Middle Ages were characterized by both periods of decline and periods of transition into the Renaissance. Therefore, if only viewed through some aspects, the overall quality of the Late Middle Ages can be interpreted in vastly different ways. When all events are taken into account, it is evident that even though there were periods of extreme decline and cultural deficiency, numerous events helped transition Europe into an age of discovery and innovation. The Late Middle Ages are sometimes

Outline the Cosmological Argument for the Existence of God (21) Free Essays

Outline the cosmological argument for the existence of God (21) The Cosmological argument is an argument that attempts to prove the existence of God, it is also known as the causation argument which argues that as all events require a cause, if the universe is an event it must have a cause and that cause is God. The argument is a posteriori because its based on evidence that already exists in the universe. The cosmological argument is also inductive because the conclusion is what is most probable, it is also synthetic because the truth can only be determined by experience. We will write a custom essay sample on Outline the Cosmological Argument for the Existence of God (21) or any similar topic only for you Order Now Cosmological’ comes from the Greek words ‘kosmos’ and ‘logos’ translated as ‘cosmos’ synonymous with ‘universe’ and ‘Logos’ meaning ‘blueprint’ or ‘plan’. Therefore, ‘cosmology’ refers to the ‘blueprint of the universe’. The Cosmological argument originated from Plato and Aristotle however it was mainly later developed by St. Thomas Aquinas. Their arguments both began with the idea that motion needs a prior agency. Plato then identified the first cause of the chain of events as the need for an unmoved mover which started off the chain. Aquinas’ main argument is well known as ‘Aquinas’ third way’; the argument from contingency and necessity. The first of Aquinas’ ways was ‘from motion,’ this follows the idea that all objects move and a change of quality is movement. Nothing can move itself, which then leads to the idea of a chain of movement but the chain cannot be infinate, therfor there must be an unmoved mover to begin the chain. This first mover is God. The second of Aquinas’ ways was ‘from efficiant causes,’ this follows the idea that all things are caused by something else because they cant cause themselves or they would exist before themselves. However this would mean that there cant be an infinite chain of causes, meaning there must be a 1st cause that caused all causes, then this 1st cause is God. The third of Aquinas’ ways is ‘from contingency and necessity. This follows the idea that everything is dependant of factors outside itself, therefor everything is contingent. If this is correct then there must be a necessary being upon which everything is dependant on. The necessary being is God. Another part to the cosmological argument is the Kalam argument which was developed by Al Ghazali and recently developed by Craig. The Kalam argument rejects the idea of an actual infinite because an actual infinite past of the universe is impossible. Craig developed the Kalam argument and added that it is logically unsound to propose an infinite series because for this to actually occur we would have to have travelled an infinite length of time and so still wouldnt be in the present yet. However, some would critique Aquinas’ theory, for example; Hick pokes holes in aquinas’s ‘three ways. ’ Hick says that Aquinas present us with two alternatives; that the universe is either â€Å"a fact†, or there is a ‘first cause’. Aquinas’ argument can only be proven if there is evidence of a first cause of the universe. (ii )Consider the view that the strengths are more convincing than the weaknesses (9) Leibniz argued that there had to be a sufficient reason for the universe to exist which supports Aquinas’s theory. Leibniz says that even if the universe had always been in existence, it would still require an explanation for its existence so we can establish that there is something rather than nothing. Since there is nothing within the universe to show why it exists the reason must therefor exist outside of it. However Hume disagrees with Aquinas and observes that to arrive at the existance of god from the premises of the cosmological argument, this requires an inductive leap which ineffectively guesses without having actual evidence that allows for the assumption to be made. This then means that you cannot make an inductive leap about the universe because we cannot make conclusions about something outside our exerience. In contrast to Hume copelston suports Aquinas’ rejection of infinite regress based on the idea that an infinite chain of contingent beings would only consist of contingent beings therefor meaning they could never be able to bring themselves into existence. However like Hume, Mackie disagrees with Aquinas’ inductive leap by stating hat ‘ everything at some time must exist’ to ‘at some point sometime everything does not exist’ here there is a clear overlap of things that just dont make sense to put after eachother as there is clearly something missing in the middle. Taking these points into consideration we can make the assumption that the weaknesses are in actual fact stronger than the strengths because the strenghts agree with the inductive leap aquinas has made, however the leap clearly looks as if something in the middle is missing as you just cant make an assumption on something bigger than us that we have no expience of. How to cite Outline the Cosmological Argument for the Existence of God (21), Essays

Effect of Washington Consensus Upon Emerging Market free essay sample

Washington Consensus implemented by emerging markets refers to economic policies created by John Williamson (Hooper, 2002; Rodrik, 2006). It is based on financial liberalization theory of McKinnon and Shaw, which emphasis on freeing financial markets from government intervention. Financial liberalization theory assumed perfect financial markets with perfect information, perfect competition and depends on institution-free analysis (Demetriades, 1999). These assumptions are irrelevant in the sense that market, as a whole is imperfect. Despite these deficiencies, emerging countries agree to implement Washington Consensus requested by International Monetary Policy (IMF) and World Bank as part of their loan contracts. According to Washington Consensus, emerging economies facing similar problems with developed markets should be treated with the same tools. Washington Consensus aims to encourage privatization with high level of economic openness. There are many criticisms regarding the policies content of Washington Consensus. Some critics argue that the policies are not being devised in a sequentially correct manner and did not consider emerging markets’ development stage (Hooper, 2002). There are several impacts of the implementation of Washington Consensus upon the emerging capital markets namely worsen economic growth and increase stock market’s volatility. Implementation of the Washington Consensus through financial liberalization has affected economic growth of emerging capital markets. Financial liberalization is developed in the objective of improving economic growth by encouraging saving, investment and capital productivity. Before financial liberalization is introduced, many developing countries encounter financial repression, which is the process where government intervenes in the economy (Demetriades, 1999). In 1960s and 1970s, government intervention was needed to control pegged exchange rates under Bretton-Wood regime. Government controlled the markets by allocating high reserve requirement, interest rates ceiling, and controlling capital, credit as well as exchange rate. These interventions led to disequilibrium in interest rate, for example, interest rates were below equilibrium level (Hooper, 2002). In order to curb the problem, financial liberalization is introduced, for instance, by setting higher interest rates. High interest rates were aimed to encourage savings, which will attract investment through borrowing and thus improved economic growth. Unfortunately, financial liberalization did not result in greater savings instead high interest rate can destroy reformation in real sector (Hooper, 2002). In addition, financial liberalization exacerbates economic growth in the sense that ratio of reserves to foreign denominated short-term indebtedness had declined substantially (Stiglitz, 2000). Washington Consensus suggests emerging capital markets to deregulate their economies in order to achieve economic growth. However, lack of comprehensive regulation has led to Asian Financial Crisis in 1997. Moreover, dampen economic growth during Asian Financial Crisis came from maturity and currency mismatch. For example, long-term investment in local currency financed short-term liabilities in dollars. Besides, Washington Consensus did not emphasis on capital flow structure in liberalizing capital flows. Many emerging capital markets destabilized due to high level of capital flows. In Latin America (1980), economic crisis was a result of cash flow structuring problem with the increase in portfolio equity to replace portfolio debt. Asian Financial Crisis 1997 has been deteriorated due to regular flows of money between financial markets. This term hot money will flow from countries with low return to countries with the highest interest rates as banks attempt to get highest return as possible. These flows can affect balance of payments if exchange rates in the total is high (Hooper, 2002). Thus, Washington Consensus worsens economic growth of emerging capital markets. Volatility of stock markets is also affected by the implementation of Washington Consensus. Financial liberalization lead emerging capital markets to more volatility. This is because financial liberalization encourages deregulation, and liquidity, which are the components enhancing volatility. It also goes for taxation as lower taxes lead to volatility. Since liberalize markets usually have lower market concentration, volatility will also increase (Hooper, 1998). Moreover, increasing portfolio equity flows increasing volatility of stock markets (Hooper, 2002). These situations reduce the attractiveness of investing in emerging stock markets (Stiglitz, 2000). Besides, stock markets’ volatility will be exasperated when there is no sufficient accounting disclosure since investors are not able to make informed judgment about the firm. However, financial liberalization did not improve accounting disclosure and structure of governance (Hooper, 2002). There is negative relationship between quality of accounting system and volatility of stock market. Poor accounting system lead to higher market volatility. Moreover, Washington Consensus policy of deregulation has also intensified volatility of stock market (Hooper, 1998; Hooper, 1998). In addition, financial liberalization increased volatility of stock markets with changes in outside country. Since, emerging markets seemed risky, investors are discouraged to invest in the markets. Thus, results in large capital outflows (Stiqlitz, 2000). However, in the long run, volatility of emerging stock markets is improving as they liberalize. International investors find investing in emerging markets are profitable since their risk-return of overall portfolio improved. Investing in emerging stock market lead to diversification of risk, as there is low correlation with other markets (Hooper, 1998). Despite that, implementation of Washington Consensus in emerging capital markets lead to volatile stock market especially in the short-term cycle. There are several ways for IMF and World Bank to conduct policy in developing countries. One of the ways is IMF and World Bank have to make sure that Washington Consensus policies are implemented in correct sequencing manner (Hooper, 2002). For example, financial sector should be reformed after regulatory and bank supervision are restructured and after real sector has been reformed. IMF and World Bank should also encourage developing countries to review and comprehend their regulation system since deregulation can harm economic growth (Hopper, 2002). Furthermore, fortifying securities and accounting regulation help reduce volatility (Hooper, 1998) by implementing framework and policies like fiscal policy, which represent the countries stock markets’ volatility. Besides, IMF and World Bank should bequest emerging countries to be more transparent in accounting disclosure and adopt good governance structure. For example, companies with poor governance are required to pay high return to investors. To reduce the premium, corporation should lessen information asymmetry by increasing accounting disclosure. Thus, cost of equity is lowered since investors are more aware about the firms’ cash flow. Moreover, accounting disclosure overcomes capital flows problem while clear securities framework helps lower volatility. Accounting disclosure should improve so that firms are abled to be monitored and controlled by government (Hooper, 2002). In addition, higher interest rates in emerging capital markets leads to adverse selection and moral hazard problem. Adverse selection normally occurs when interest rates are high as borrowers invest in extremely risky investment without lenders’ knowledge. While moral hazard arises when borrowers invest in projects they had not agreed to. This can lead to increase in cost of borrowing for other borrowers. Thus, encouraging accounting disclosure helps to reduce adverse selection and moral hazard. For example, Thailand and South-East Asian faced moral hazard due to deficient accounting disclosure and comprehensive regulation (Hooper, 2002). Besides, transparent information helps heal economic growth through effective resource allocation (Stiglitz, 2000). IMF and World Bank should also emphasis on binding constraints on economic growth by finding ways to correct the constraints. It is important for an economy to use the appropriate tools in reducing the constraints. For instance, reforming financial intermediaries will not improve investment with poor property rights. Thus, binding constraints have to be evaluated (Stiglitz, 1998). In conclusion, implementing Washington Consensus in emerging capital markets is not efficient. It deteriorated economic growth of many developing countries; for instance, East Asian and Latin America were in bad financial crisis. Moreover, the liberalization process also affects stock market of emerging countries by exacerbating stock markets’ volatility. Thus, International Monetary Fund and World Bank have to play their role by setting up efficient policies in order to curb problems arise from the implementation of Washington Consensus as well as improving the economy of emerging countries. REFERENCE LISTS * Demetriades, P 1999, ‘Financial liberalization: the experience of developing countries’, Eastern Economic Journal, vol. 25, no. 4, pp. 441-457. Hooper, V 1998, ‘Volatility and openness of emerging stock markets: some empirical evidence’, Emerging Capital Markets: Financial and Investment Issues, pp. 35-45. * Hooper, V 2002, ‘The Washington Consensus and Emerging Economies’, pp. 1-14. * Rodrik, D 2006, ‘Goodbye Washington Consensus, hello Washington Confusion’, pp. 1-28. * Stiglitz, J 1998, ‘More instruments and broader goals: moving toward the Post–Washington Consensus’, pp. 1-46. * Stiglitz, JE 2000, ‘Capital market liberalization, economic growth, and instability’, World Development, vol. 28, no. 6, pp. 1075-1086.