* A VERY IMPORTANT NOTE ABOUT THIS SYLLABUS: By remaining enrolled in this course, you acknowledge and assume responsibility for all that is indicated on this syllabus.  Ignorance of what is covered on this syllabus is not excusable

Professor Steve Morris
Office: 2N/232
Telephone: 718-982-2895
Office Hours: M: 2:30-3:30 (in-person and via Zoom) and by appointment
E-mail: stephen.morris@csi.cuny.edu

Required Text: None—all readings are on Blackboard (I’ll bet that increases your happiness!)

Course Description:
While the subject of happiness has long been studied by both philosophers and psychologists, there has never been more academic interest in the subject than at present.  In addition to the attention that happiness is currently garnering from philosophers and psychologists, it has increasingly become a focus of other academic disciplines including economics, political science, and neuroscience.  In this course we will take a multi-disciplinary approach to exploring the subject of happiness where we will consider both the insights into happiness offered by philosophy, economics and political science, as well as its relevance to the latter two disciplines.  The beginning of the course will consist primarily of a historical survey of philosophical discourses on the nature of happiness.  From there we will move on to discuss what some contemporary theorists have to say about the nature of happiness.  The overarching aim of these two sections is to arrive at a better understanding of what happiness is.  The next section explores how science can provide insights into the nature of happiness.  Next, we will discuss various economic theories in order to determine what role happiness should play in a viable economic theory as well as which theory is most likely to promote happiness.  Finally, we will consider how happiness ought to figure into a well-rounded political theory.   
 
Course Learning Goals:
* To familiarize students with academic literature on happiness from a wide range of disciplines including philosophy, political science and psychology.
* To expose students to the work of important academics in disciplines other than their own and to assess a variety of economic and political theories in light of whether they are in line with the aim of promoting happiness.
* To cultivate students’ abilities to understand and critically evaluate complex arguments in a variety of academic fields and to illustrate how these fields are related to one another.
* To improve students’ abilities to formulate their own responses to difficult questions regarding the nature of happiness and to present these responses both verbally and in writing.

Grading Scale:
A=100-93; A-=92-90; B+=89-87; B=86-83; B-=82-80; C+=79-77; C=76-70; D=69-60; F<60
**Note: The term paper will be graded numerically from 0­-100. It will also receive a letter grade that will correspond to the numerical value in terms of its percentage out of 100. For instance, a paper that is given a grade of 87.7 will receive a B+.
 
Course Requirements: (Percentages of Final Grade)
* Participation                        10%
* Class Presentation               20%
* Term Paper                          70%
 
* In regards to written work, each student will be graded according to the following criteria:
            – The ability to express one’s ideas clearly
            – The ability to accurately describe the various philosophical positions being considered
– The ability to reason/think critically

Participation:
Your participation grade will be determined by the degree to which you participate in class discussions of the course material (proposing answers to the questions asked, asking questions of your own, etc.) as well as by your general conduct in the classroom. Students can increase their grade by making a positive contribution to class discussion of the material. Students can decrease their grade by displaying improper classroom conduct which may include—but is not limited to—the following:
            – Missing excessive classes (see details below)
            – Arriving to class late without notifying the professor beforehand.
            – Leaving class early without notifying the professor beforehand.
            – Using electronic devices (cell phones, computers, etc.) in improper ways (texting,             web surfing, etc.) during class.
            – Disrupting the class by talking.
            – Directing abusive or insulting language towards either the professor or a fellow-student.
 
      Policy on Talking and Other Disruptive Classroom Behavior:
I expect students to be respectful of both myself and other students in this course. Displaying inappropriate conduct—including, but not limited to, the use of abusive, insulting, or disrespectful language—is prohibited. Should a student exhibit such behavior in a course setting, they can expect to get points subtracted from their participation score.
 
Class Presentation:
Towards the end of the semester, each student will be required to give a roughly 30-minute presentation to the class based on ideas addressed in the student’s term paper.  Twenty minutes will be allocated for each student to address the main ideas discussed in his or her paper.  An additional ten or so minutes will be allocated for a question and answer session during which the student can address questions, etc., from those in attendance.
 
 
Paper:
One term paper will be assigned during the semester, preceded by a prospectus.  The paper will be on a topic of your choice and will be directly related to the topics discussed in this semester and approved by me.  You should feel free to ask for topic suggestions or to explore your own ideas with me. More details concerning the prospectus and paper are as follows:
a) The prospectus (roughly 2 pages) should contain an outline of the main ideas and  describe the overall structure of your paper (due March 29^th).  It should also contain a bibliography of the articles/texts you will be addressing.  I will provide comments on the prospectus to guide you in writing the final version of your paper.
            b) The term paper (at least 12 pages, no more than 15) is due on May 3^rd.
 
* If you are unable to turn either the prospectus or the paper in on time, expect your paper to be docked three percentage points for each day your prospectus or paper is turned in late-including weekends-unless:a) I am notified ahead of time about a problem; or b) there is an excused absence.
*Note: The terms for turning in late work are non-negotiable. Each student is expected to read this syllabus and follow it accordingly.
 
* In terms of Extra Credit, there will likely be opportunities to earn two extra credit points during the semester. Note that there will be no other opportunities for extra credit UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES (need a certain grade to get into a program, to maintain a scholarship, to graduate, international terrorists have kidnapped your parents and threatened to kill them if you don’t get an A in this class, etc.). If a student approaches me with a request for any additional extra credit beyond what is stated above, he or she will be referred to this section of the syllabus and the conversation will end abruptly.
 
Attendance:
* Attending class and keeping up with the readings are essential to passing this course.
* After the fourth unexcused absence, students will have one percent point (out of a maximum of 10%) deducted from their Participation Grade for each subsequent unexcused absence.
 
Important Notes:
* If accommodations are needed for a disability, please notify me during the first week of class.
* Be aware that policies stated in this syllabus are subject to change.

Academic Integrity Statement:
 
Academic honesty is required in all academic endeavors. Violations of academic honesty include any instance of plagiarism, cheating, seeking credit for another’s work, falsifying documents or academic records, or any other fraudulent activity. Violations of academic honesty may result in a failing grade on the assignment, failure in the course, or expulsion from the College. If a student is caught turning in a term paper that was written by another individual—or an Artificial Intelligence Program—IN ANY CAPACITY WHATSOEVER, the student will fail the course, be reported to the Office of the Vice President of Student Affairs, and may be suspended from the college.

Plagiarism

Plagiarism refers to the unauthorized use or close imitation of the language and/or thoughts of another author and the representation of them as one’s own original work. [1] As mentioned in this syllabus, plagiarism is a violation of the University’s Academic Honor Code and will not be tolerated.  In what follows, I offer a few examples of what would be construed as plagiarism:

            – Attempting to pass off another student’s work as one’s own

            – Including the statements of another author in one’s work without properly citing him or her (as by quotes, etc.)

                        – This includes using any uncited passages from Internet sources.

* One easy way to avoid plagiarizing is to properly cite an author whenever one is making some reference to his or her ideas.  It should be said that this course is constructed so that a student can excel without having to use sources other than the course text/lectures.  This being said, if you choose to use outside sources, be sure to cite them appropriately.  Citations should be made not only for direct quotes, but also where one has paraphrased (reworded) what another has said.  This can be accomplished in several ways.  For example, you might precede a sentence paraphrasing Plato with “According to Plato…,” and then citing the text and page number.

* A good rule of thumb is that if you are ever in doubt as to whether or not you are plagiarizing, make a citation. If you have any particular questions about plagiarism during the course of the semester, please come talk to me. Additional information on plagiarism is available in the CSI Undergraduate Catalogue.

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[1] Taken from Webster’s Encyclopedic Unabridged Dictionary

COURSE SCHEDULE
 
Week 1
1/25: Introduction
 
Week 2
1/30: Stiglitz – Read Article
2/1: The Cutting Edge Government of…Bhutan?  – Read Bok (Intro) and Nettle (Intro)
 
Week 3
* HISTORICAL SURVEY OF HAPPINESS
2/6: Plato – Read Articles
2/8: Aristotle – Read Article
 
Week 4
2/13: NO CLASS
2/15: Epicurus and Seneca (Stoicism) – Read Articles
 
Week 5
2/20: NO CLASS
2/21: (MONDAY SCHEDULE) Bentham & Mill – Read Articles
2/22: Nozick & Weijer – Read Articles (Experience Machine Articles)
 
Week 6
* CONTEMPORARY THEORIES OF HAPPINESS
2/27: The Life Satisfaction View – Read Tatarkiewicz AND Haybron (Life Satisfaction)
3/1: Emotional State Account – Read Haybron (Emotional State)—SKIP SECTION 2
 
Week 7
3/6: Defense of Hedonism – Read Morris (Hedonism)
* SCIENCE OF HAPPINESS
3/8: What Does Science Tell Us About Happiness? – Read Nettle (Chapter 3) & Bok (Chapter 1)
 
Week 8
3/13: Methodological Difficulties of Determining Happiness – Read Bok (Chapter 2)
3/15: Positive Psychology – Read Article
 
Week 9
3/20: Cross-Cultural Considerations – Read Uchida & Morris (Cross-Cultural)
*ECONOMICS OF HAPPINESS
3/22: Adam Smith – Read Articles/TBA
 
Week 10
3/27: Rand and Hospers – Read Articles
3/29: Marx – Read Articles
**PROSPECTUS DUE
 
Week 11
4/3: TBA

SPRING BREAK (4/5-4/13)—Have Fun!!
Week 12
4/17: Bok – Read Chapter 4
 and  Oishi – Read Article
4/19: White – Read Article
 
Week 13
* POLITICS OF HAPPINESS  
4/24: Rawls – Read Article
4/26: Rawls (cont.)/Nozick– Read Article (Utopia)
 
Week 14
5/1: Bok – Read Chapter 3
5/3: Bhutan Revisited – Read Bok (Chapter 11) & Nettle (Chapter 7)
** PAPER DUE
 
Week 15
5/8: Student Presentations
5/10: Student Presentations
 
Week 16
5/15: Student Presentations (Online only)—NO CLASS