At the end of the last chapter of your reading for this week, Dr. Sharpe asks the question, “How do genes and neurotransmitters relate to an afterlife?” In your Discussion this week, you will be asked to share your thoughts about happiness as it relates to different spiritual traditions, scientific explanations, and contemporary perceptions. In particular, you will consider how scientific and spiritual traditions differ on the subject of happiness, as well as any common ground the two fields share. You will also examine how advertising and other forms of modern media influence people’s notions of happiness.
To prepare for this Discussion:
Review this week’s readings (Preface, Chapter 1, Chapter 2, and Interlude 1) in the course text Has Science Displaced the Soul? and think about how different spiritual traditions and modern scientific thought view the concept of happiness.
Listen to the Radio Laureate Interview with Dr. Kevin Sharpe: “The Voice of the Author.”
Consider different aspects of happiness on which spiritual and scientific thinkers might agree or disagree.
Reflect on how your own exposure to the modern media has influenced your ideas about what happiness is and how it can be attained.
