On the Philosophical Implications of Empirical Research on Happiness

Abstract

The claim that Empirical Research has Philosophical Implications (or ERPI) is the thesis that empirical happiness research in psychology, economics, sociology, neuroscience, or some other similar field has direct implications for the truth of some philosophical theory about happiness. ERPI appears to be an unquestioned presupposition of some philosophers who write about happiness. Several psychologists seem to have endorsed ERPI. Other empirical researchers (not in psychology) have made similar claims. After explaining the meaning and importance of ERPI, I discuss a series of specific instances that have been cited in support of ERPI. I discuss work by Martin Seligman, Daniel Kahneman, Richard Layard, Donald Bruckner, Ed Diener, and Pelin Kesebir. In each case, I try to show that the instance cited does nothing to support ERPI. I am inclined to think (thought I don't try to establish it in this paper) that there is no instance in which clearly empirical research clearly supports a clearly philosophical conclusion.