Happiness and suffering

Popinjay · #1 06-23-2005, 06:58 PM

Can happiness exist without suffering?

Rev. Good Will · #2 06-23-2005, 08:39 PM

No

KingMarc · #3 06-23-2005, 09:08 PM

If I couldn't watch people suffer, I wouldn't be happy. So, no.

[img]/images/graemlins/tongue.gif[/img]

Patrick del Poker Grande · #4 06-23-2005, 09:51 PM

If life's not beautiful without the pain,
well I'd just rather never ever even see beauty again.
<font color="white"> --Modest Mouse - The View
(not my opinion)</font>

CallMeIshmael · #5 06-23-2005, 09:53 PM

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH!!!!

drudman · #6 06-23-2005, 10:09 PM

Sure, why not? Happiness is a chemical process in the body, as is suffering. One does not require the other.

The problem is linguistic. Inherent in most people's definition of "happiness" is not just happiness, but also a comparison to suffering.

If this is the actual definition we wish to use for "happiness", then yes, by definition, it cannot exist without happiness.

YourFoxyGrandma · #7 06-23-2005, 11:03 PM

[ QUOTE ]
If life's not beautiful without the pain,
well I'd just rather never ever even see beauty again.
<font color="white"> --Modest Mouse - The View
(not my opinion)</font>

[/ QUOTE ]

Nice.

CallMeIshmael · #8 06-23-2005, 11:08 PM

[ QUOTE ]
Sure, why not? Happiness is a chemical process in the body, as is suffering. One does not require the other.

The problem is linguistic. Inherent in most people's definition of "happiness" is not just happiness, but also a comparison to suffering.

If this is the actual definition we wish to use for "happiness", then yes, by definition, it cannot exist without happiness.

[/ QUOTE ]

Again, very nice post.

(But, Im pretty sure you need to get laid more [img]/images/graemlins/blush.gif[/img])

jason_t · #9 06-23-2005, 11:11 PM

[ QUOTE ]
Sure, why not? Happiness is a chemical process in the body, as is suffering. One does not require the other.

[/ QUOTE ]

Wouldn't this require that happiness and suffering because by two different chemical processes and not that one is an excess of a certain chemical and the other a deficit of the same chemical?

snowden719 · #10 06-24-2005, 05:28 AM

it depends on how one defines happiness, if happiness is defined as the etent to which my desires are fulfilled then it is obivous that a previous state of unhappiness or suffering is not a necessary condition of my present happiness. unless someone can give a better definition of happiness than the fulfillment of my desires I think it is clear that suffering is not necessary for happiness