Mark Walker

Happy-People-Pills for All

• Gebundenes Buch

Produktbeschreibung

Almost everyone seeks to achieve happiness in their lives, yet the thought of a pharmacological enhancement to our ability to be happy makes most people recoil in horror. Why is this? Happy-People-Pills for All explores the latest theories and debates on what it means to be "happy" while addressing the prospects for advanced pharmacological agents to enhance our capacity for happiness and wellbeing. As distinguished from "happy pills" (drugs that distort cognition), future "happy-people-pills" will mimic the positive emotional states of the hyperthymic temperament. Noting that contemporary social science research supports the view that happiness promotes achievement in the 'higher' endeavors of humanity--including work, love and virtue--this provocative text reveals how happy-people-pills could greatly benefit individuals in achieving these same goals. Moral and legal issues are also addressed, including the quandary of the government's role in individual welfare--whether to be involved in the development and promotion of bio-happiness or to allow such pharmacological agents to be developed in the private sector. Original and thought-provoking, Happy-People-Pills for All offers illuminating insights into the possibility of a panacea for the enhancement of happiness in our everyday lives.

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Produktdetails

• Verlag: Wiley
• Seitenzahl: 296
• Erscheinungstermin: 13. Mai 2013
• Englisch
• Abmessung: 236mm x 163mm x 20mm
• Gewicht: 526g
• ISBN-13: 9781118357385
• ISBN-10: 1118357388
• Artikelnr.: 36726751

Autorenporträt

Mark Walker is Assistant Professor of Philosophy at New Mexico State University, where he occupies the Richard L. Hedden Endowed Chair in Advanced Philosophical Studies. Dr. Walker also serves on the Editorial Board of the Journal of Evolution and Technology and on the Board of Directors of the Institute for Ethics and Emerging Technologies.

Inhaltsangabe

Acknowledgments ix

1 Introductory 1

2 What is Living and What is Dead in Brave New World 19

3 What DoWe Mean by 'Happiness'? 41

4 The Elements of the Good Life: It is a Very Big List 72

5 Wellbeing and Virtue 100

6 Happiness Promotes Perfection 120

7 Happy Pharmacology 155

8 Arguments for Happy-People-Pills 187

9 Ethical Objections 206

10 Happy-People-Pills and Public Policy 233

Index 273

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Acknowledgments ix 1 Introductory 1 2 What is Living and What is Dead in
Brave New World 19 3 What DoWe Mean by 'Happiness'? 41 4 The Elements of
the Good Life: It is a Very Big List 72 5 Wellbeing and Virtue 100 6
Happiness Promotes Perfection 120 7 Happy Pharmacology 155 8 Arguments for
Happy-People-Pills 187 9 Ethical Objections 206 10 Happy-People-Pills and
Public Policy 233 Index 273

Rezensionen

"The philosophical portions of the book are good enough,and I recommend Happy-People-Pills for All if you areinterested in a fun "what-if" discussion." (PsycCRITIQUES, 10 February 2014)

"Summing Up: Recommended. With reservations. General readers." (Choice, 1 January 2014)

"A fascinating and provocative argument, beautifully made.This book challenges everything you believe about who deserves tobe happy, and why."

--Daniel Gilbert, Harvard University, Author of thebestseller Stumbling on Happiness

"A game-changing contribution to philosophical debates abouthappiness. Its arguments are ambitious, novel, and philosophicallyfocused and its discussion wide-ranging."

--Nicholas Agar, Victoria University ofWellington, Author of Humanity's End: Why We Should RejectRadical Enhancement

"Happy-People-Pills is a great examination of theincreasingly contentious issue of modifying our bodies and ourmoods through pharmacology. Laying out in precise detail thearguments for and against, Walker explains the importance ofhappiness for health, life, and love and gives a powerful case forusing chemical technology to make more of it."

--Patrick Hopkins, Millsaps College, Author of Sex/Machine:Readings in Culture, Gender, and Technology