This month we talk to Dr Guy Fletcher, a lecturer in philosophy here at Edinburgh. In April Guy published a book on what is becoming an increasing hot topic: The philosophy of well-being. The concept of well-being and happiness has fascinated philosophers of ethics and politics since ancient Greek times and beyond, but recently it has become an increasingly central theme in popular psychology, self-help and even government, with the latter spending increasing amounts of money and resource to promote it.
In the podcast Guy addresses such questions as:
- Is desire fulfilment the only thing that makes our lives go well?
- Can something be good for someone who does not desire it?
- Is happiness all that makes our lives go well?
- Can we measure happiness?
- Can we make ourselves happy?
Later we touch on some of Guy’s other research interests; his background in meta-ethics and how that relates to morals, and his work in normative thought and talk and how that relates to his current research into moral testimony.
Links
Fletcher G. (2016) The Philosophy of Well-being: An Introduction, Oxford, Routledge
Fletcher, G. (2016) The Handbook of Philosophy of Well-being, Oxford, Routledge
Thaler. R, & Sunstein. C (2009) Nudge: Improving decisions about health, wealth and happiness
https://guyfletcherphilosophy.wordpress.com/