Wisdom for happiness: emotion regulation, gradual happiness in tranquility, and paradoxical intention

Abstract

Happiness plays a dominant role in most people’s lives. In this thesis, I focus on tranquility as a necessary and sufficient condition for happiness and I present a new theory of happiness. I reconceptualize tranquility through wisdom. I criticize the Epicurean hedonist accounts of tranquility. I conceptualize the way to achieve tranquility as emotion regulation that comes from wisdom. I claim that tranquility is a state of mind that can be achieved in the presence of fear and anxiety, which are considered to be the biggest obstacles to tranquility by Epicureans. Later, I discuss a new aspect of tranquility which is attaining more pleasure and happiness from the state of tranquility by having appreciative attitudes towards one’s state of tranquility. Finally, I present “Paradoxical Intention” as a method for achieving tranquility and I claim that it constitutes evidence for my claim that in the presence of fear and anxiety, one can achieve tranquility.