Well-Being: The Good Syndrome

• Other Authors: Sosis, Clifford (authoraut)
• Format: Others
• Language: English; English
• Published: Florida State University
• Subjects: Philosophy
• Online Access: http://purl.flvc.org/fsu/fd/FSU_migr_etd-7233

In the natural world there are things we call 'syndromes'. Depression is an example of a syndrome. There are many forms of depression, but generally, people with depression suffer from a subset of several unpleasant symptoms, such as lethargy, guilt and suicidal ideation. It appears that there is a pleasant syndrome: There are people who are enjoying a subset of the properties we tend to associate with well-being. These symptoms include, but are not necessarily limited to, above average emotional health, mental health, physical health, personal success and professional success. According to any plausible view of reference, I argue, the term 'well-being' refers to this syndrome; thus well-being is this syndrome. Generally speaking, people with some forms of depression have a chemical imbalance. This is the nature of depression. It explains why depressed people are depressed. It is a contingent fact we discover empirically. I argue that the nature of well-being is a fact we discover empirically as well. Traditionally, those who have attempted to investigate the nature of well-being have struggled to provide an intuitively plausible account of well-being. As in the case of depression, I argue that intuition reveals nothing about the nature of well-being. Science has revealed that the symptoms of well-being are usually caused, in part, by a state similar to what hedonists identify with well-being. This state'having many pleasant emotions, moods and attitudes and few unpleasant emotions, moods and attitudes'is called a 'positive affect balance'. A thorough meta-analysis of two hundred and twenty five papers (that's two hundred and ninety three samples consisting of over a quarter million people) suggests that a positive affect balance causes the symptoms of well-being (Diener, Lyubomirsky and King, 2005). Thus, I claim, a positive affect balance is the nature of 'well-being'. It explains why well off people are doing well. This is the Hedonic Engine Theory of Well-Being in a nutshell. The Hedonic Engine Theory of Well-Being has several advantages over traditional accounts. === A Dissertation submitted to the Department of Philosophy in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy. === Summer Semester, 2011. === March 1, 2011. === Includes bibliographical references. === Michael Bishop, Professor Directing Dissertation; David McNaughton, Professor Co-Directing Dissertation; Martin Kavka, University Representative; Michael Ruse, Committee Member.