In time for the new year–and the intention-setting that often goes along with it–Philosophy alumna Valerie Tiberius (BA 1990) spoke to MPR News about the difference between a pursuit of happiness and the pursuit of what she calls “flourishing.” Tiberius is now a professor of Philosophy at the University of Minnesota and the author of What Do You Want Out of Life? A Philosophical Guide to Figuring Out What Matters (Princeton University Press, 2023). We usually think of happiness as an emotion of pleasure, she says, one that often remains elusive because it is difficult to maintain. Flourishing, on the other hand, lies more within our control. It’s a sense of living according to our values, mindful of our relationships and the person we are trying to become. Listen to the full episode (“What Does It Really Mean to Be Happy?”) to hear Tiberius discuss more of her insights.
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