Freethought & Rationalism Archive

The Resistance · 05-29-2002, 11:20 AM

How about this as showing a relationship between happiness and other variables?

(Knowledge* freedom * economics)/(religion)=happiness

Considering other societies in other ages I think this idea holds not as a law but as a rule of thumb.

I have to go, but I'll add later. Just wanted to write it down while it was in my head.

owleye · 05-29-2002, 03:51 PM

I'd say it is nonsensical.

owleye

Mageth · 05-29-2002, 03:57 PM

My religion is zero. Does that mean my happiness is undefined?

99Percent · 05-29-2002, 04:08 PM

It means you are infinitely happy

tronvillain · 05-29-2002, 06:32 PM

Well, perhaps as an extremely crude rule of thumb. Even as that I'm not sure it's all that good.

05-29-2002, 07:34 PM

Although I'm sure it's possible to form a good heuristic mathematical charicterization of happiness, I don't know how useful it is to divorce the feeling from the context. We might just as well do what everyone else does and speak of brain states, of internal mental events.

The Resistance · 05-30-2002, 10:41 AM

It was simply states that in general that in society:

1. When the average person's knowledge goes up, the average person's happiness goes up.

2. When the average person's freedom goes up, the average person's happiness goes up.

3. When economic conditions improve, the average person's happiness goes up.

4. When religion dominates a society, the average person's happiness goes down.

Now that I think about economics and religion should be eliminated from the equation. As knowlege goes up, religion goes down. As freedom and knowledge goes up, so tends the economy.

excreationist · 06-01-2002, 06:53 PM

I think economics is included in the "freedom" part. (i.e. more free time or choices, etc)

So your equation would be

(Knowledge * freedom)/(religion)=happiness

And to fix that divide by zero error you could do this:

happiness = knowledge + freedom - religion

I can't be bothered saying how much I disagree at the moment, but I'll just bring up one quote:
"ignorance is bliss". That means that less knowledge could mean more happiness!

The Resistance · 06-01-2002, 07:53 PM

I said economics should be eliminated, and religon the new equation being

knowledge*freedom=happiness

I also don't agree with the general rule "ignorance is bliss." An individual may benefit from that, but society in general doesn't.

05-29-2002, 11:20 AM	#1
The Resistance Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2001 Location: Minnesota Posts: 571	Happiness as a mathematical concept How about this as showing a relationship between happiness and other variables? (Knowledge* freedom * economics)/(religion)=happiness Considering other societies in other ages I think this idea holds not as a law but as a rule of thumb. I have to go, but I'll add later. Just wanted to write it down while it was in my head.

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05-29-2002, 03:51 PM	#2
owleye Regular Member Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: Home Posts: 229	I'd say it is nonsensical. owleye

05-29-2002, 03:57 PM	#3
Mageth Contributor Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: Deep in the heart of mother-lovin' Texas Posts: 29,689	My religion is zero. Does that mean my happiness is undefined?

05-29-2002, 04:08 PM	#4
99Percent Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: my mind Posts: 5,996	It means you are infinitely happy

05-29-2002, 06:32 PM	#5
tronvillain Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Alberta, Canada Posts: 5,658	Well, perhaps as an extremely crude rule of thumb. Even as that I'm not sure it's all that good.

05-29-2002, 07:34 PM	#6
Synaesthesia Guest Posts: n/a	Although I'm sure it's possible to form a good heuristic mathematical charicterization of happiness, I don't know how useful it is to divorce the feeling from the context. We might just as well do what everyone else does and speak of brain states, of internal mental events.

05-30-2002, 10:41 AM	#7
The Resistance Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2001 Location: Minnesota Posts: 571	It was simply states that in general that in society: 1. When the average person's knowledge goes up, the average person's happiness goes up. 2. When the average person's freedom goes up, the average person's happiness goes up. 3. When economic conditions improve, the average person's happiness goes up. 4. When religion dominates a society, the average person's happiness goes down. Now that I think about economics and religion should be eliminated from the equation. As knowlege goes up, religion goes down. As freedom and knowledge goes up, so tends the economy.

06-01-2002, 06:53 PM	#8
excreationist Veteran Member Join Date: Aug 2000 Location: Australia Posts: 4,886	I think economics is included in the "freedom" part. (i.e. more free time or choices, etc) So your equation would be (Knowledge * freedom)/(religion)=happiness And to fix that divide by zero error you could do this: happiness = knowledge + freedom - religion I can't be bothered saying how much I disagree at the moment, but I'll just bring up one quote: "ignorance is bliss". That means that less knowledge could mean more happiness!

06-01-2002, 07:53 PM	#9
The Resistance Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2001 Location: Minnesota Posts: 571	I said economics should be eliminated, and religon the new equation being knowledge*freedom=happiness I also don't agree with the general rule "ignorance is bliss." An individual may benefit from that, but society in general doesn't.

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