Talk:Happiness

This article needs a MAJOR revamp.
When people say "The most moral action is the one that maximizes happiness" they don't literally mean the emotion of being happy. Typically, they really mean something a bit more subtle than that, something which could partially be described as "freedom to do what you want to do". This article however, assumes that it does indeed mean the emotion of happiness, with is just totally not right. I'd say rewrite this article to describe the emotion rather than the strange combination of emotion and philosophy that it is right now. Tux9001 (talk) 20:24, 28 September 2022 (UTC)
 * It seems like you're talking about the moral philosophy theory of Utilitarianism with your "people say". That is how the article introduces the connection of moral action to happiness. The way Jeremy Bentham wrote about this topic, he was definitely referring to the emotion of being happy. When John Stuart Mill refined the idea, he recognised different kinds of contentment or satisfaction, so he was still talking about emotions, but more refined/ nuanced ones. Although he had a lot to say about the liberty being a good, he didn't describe the happiness utilitarianism aims for as "freedom to do what you want to do". Your proposal contradicts what's cited and so seems "just totally not right". The changes you want would introduce vagueness where there is clarity and misrepresent the sources the article is based on. MartinPoulter (talk) 11:24, 16 December 2022 (UTC)

Wiki Education assignment: Adult Development Spring 2023
— Assignment last updated by Itsallinthedetails (talk) 18:49, 22 May 2023 (UTC) UWU — Preceding unsigned comment added by 14.201.135.122 (talk) 03:57, 22 June 2023 (UTC)

Uh... about the lead
I'm experiencing the most intense feeling of writer's block since a long while. Does anybody here have any ideas about expanding the lead? CactiStaccingCrane (talk) 21:37, 8 June 2023 (UTC)


 * Pinging recent-ish editors that has made substantial edits here to the discussion: User:Sinopecynic, User:Ecangola, and User:XMcan CactiStaccingCrane (talk) 21:44, 8 June 2023 (UTC)

Planned edits
Just a heads up that I plan on expanding the Positive Psychology and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy sections of this page. They are looking a little slim on information, and a few basics could bring some clarity to these topics. As there has been a request for expansion on the Positive Effects section, I may expand that section a bit too. Itsallinthedetails (talk) 20:00, 19 June 2023 (UTC) Itsallinthedetails (talk) 20:00, 19 June 2023 (UTC)

Fulfilled request to expand positive effect section
I've expanded the positive effect section of this page. I'm not sure if we want to remove the request or not, or if more expansion is still needed or wanted. Perhaps more on the negative effect part?Itsallinthedetails (talk) 22:52, 24 June 2023 (UTC)

Explanation of happiness
Happiness is revealing rules by generating and combining to predict presence of input signal. Tzsf (talk) 15:50, 16 November 2023 (UTC)


 * interesting, but please could you expand? thanks Asto77 (talk) 19:35, 29 November 2023 (UTC)

Changes of meaning over time unclear
In the Definition section the part about "Changes of meaning over time" is currently just stating, that the meaning now is different than the meaning of the word was when the US declaration of inderpendance was formed. However it does not state how the meaning changed or give any other information. In my opinion just stating that this is different does not provide much information. It is also unclear why this is relevant, since this article a priory does not have anything to do with the US or the declatation of inderpendance. TheFibonacciEffect (talk) 15:35, 2 December 2023 (UTC)


 * Hi. My thinking here was that sometimes people reach back to the Declaration of Independence when talking about happiness, not realising that the word had a very different meaning then. I just wanted to help people who might otherwise make that error. Clearly all languages are 'living' and word meanings change, but in this case particularly so. Asto77 (talk) 16:43, 9 January 2024 (UTC)
 * I think there are two quite different things called either "happiness" or "joy": (1) the (temporary) emotion and (2) the (lasting) attitude or self-image. I tend to call the temporary emotion "joy" and the long-term attitude or self-image "happiness", but some authors seem to do the opposite.
 * For example the World Happiness Report is clearly not about the emotion. LucSaffre (talk) 08:23, 3 February 2024 (UTC)
 * yes the World happiness Report uses the swb (subjective well being) definition which is like your lasting impression idea. See ref 31 ('John Helliwell, World Happiness Report) in the article for more on that. The current 'Definitions' section of the article tries to explain these differences. Asto77 (talk) 17:17, 3 February 2024 (UTC)

Semi-protected edit request on 8 April 2024
Officialelfloor (talk) 03:37, 8 April 2024 (UTC) Please add a :) I think it would make people really happy and ad something really good to the world
 * Red question icon with gradient background.svg Not done: it's not clear what changes you want to be made. Please mention the specific changes in a "change X to Y" format and provide a reliable source if appropriate.  (talk | contribs) 03:44, 8 April 2024 (UTC)

Wiki Education assignment: College Composition II
— Assignment last updated by Lindseybean28 (talk) 21:26, 9 May 2024 (UTC)