I think morality is inevitably necessary for happiness. In this essay, first, I will talk about what is the motivation behind the human acts. Second, I will talk about how it is possible that morality is necessary for happiness. While I am talking about these, I will object Steven M. Cahn’s arguments about the happy immoralist. I will use some of Thomas Hobbes’ and Jean-Jacques Rousseau’s arguments to make clear my point.
Firstly, I think the basis, the motivation of all the human acts is one’s own happiness. Even when a human does something that does not make him/her happy, still in that specific situation, that person is happy by being unhappy. I think this contrast is logical if one can see the process behind being happy and unhappy. Happiness and unhappiness are the reasons and consequences of one another. They are chasing each other like day and night, and people find satisfaction in this cycle. So it is logical that one can choose to be unhappy in order to be happy. This choice can be made consciously or unconsciously, but it is certain that this choice is made. For example, a mother loves her child, and she is ready to sacrifice herself for her child. This sacrifice certainly will not increase mother’s self-interest. But it will increase the mother’s happiness. This happiness can be achieved by being unhappy. So selfishness is neither a moral nor immoral thing, but it is reality. The reason for this is, people are inevitably selfish and if there is no right of choice, then selfishness cannot be something moral or immoral. What can be moral or immoral is the way of achieving happiness, since we can choose it. As a summary, both mother and a thief are selfish, but what mother does is not immoral since she has no right of choice of doing it whether what thief does is immoral since he/she has the right of choice of doing it. The pursuit of happiness is selfish but it is unavoidable so it cannot be immoral; the way of pursuit of happiness is selfish and can be chosen so it can be moral or immoral.
Secondly, I think morality is necessary for happiness. I think morality’s source is the lack of self-confidence. Living as a society brings some limitations to the freedom of a person. Because people are selfish and self-centered, these limitations are necessary. Thomas Hobbes says that because people are very similar, they can establish superiority over each other at any time. This uncertainty causes the lack of self-confidence. And this lack of self-confidence causes morals that we have today. For example a rich man/woman wants to protect his/her wealth. A poor man/woman might steal it easily is there is no laws/morals. It is logical that rich will love laws/morals, and poor will object them. But I think poor will also love them. The reason for this is the possibility of becoming rich. Unconsciously, people are aware of the realty of selfishness and possibility of becoming the superior one. So even if they are the current inferiors, they are aware of the possibility of being future superiors. And also they, consciously or unconsciously, know that selfishness is realty of humankind. These are the reasons for poor (inferior) ones to support morals and laws. So if a poor man/woman violates morals or laws, unconsciously he/she will be violating the future confidence of him/her. This is the reason why morality is necessary for the happiness of all humankind as both superior and inferior ones. Steven M. Cahn says that a successful thief can be happy as long as he/she is not caught. I think the happy immoralist’s happiness is impossible, since he/she will be violating his/her future confidence. Jean-Jacques Rousseau says that, people give up their rights for the sake of protecting their confidence. This idea is the main structure of the State-citizen relationship. I think they even give up their self-interest to protect their confidence. That is why morals are necessary for happiness.
Because people are seeing everything behind their own eyes, it is impossible to leave one’s own body, and settle into another one. So whatever the move is, it is certain that the move is selfish. And the awareness of this reality and possibility of becoming superior are the reasons why morals are necessary for happiness of the whole humankind as both superiors and inferiors.
Works Cited
Cahn S.M.
& Murphy J.G., “The Happy Immoralist” Journal of Social Philosophy 35.1
(2004) <http://doi.wiley.com/10.1111/j.1467-9833.2004.t01-1-00207.x>
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