Friendship and Happiness

This philosophical and sociological look at friendship and happiness begins with a review of Aristotle’s three categories of friendship—friends of utility, friends of pleasure and friends of the good. Modern variations—casual friends, close friends, best friends—are described, along with the growing phenomena of virtual friendships and cyber socialization in the Internet age. Inspired in part by Bertrand Russell’s The Conquest of Happiness, the authors propose that conquering unhappiness is key to achieving the self-satisfaction Russell called zest and Aristotle called eudaimonia or thriving by our own efforts.

Instructors considering this book for use in a course may request an examination copy here.

Tim Delaney is a professor of sociology at the State University of New York at Oswego. He teaches environmental sociology classes and is a member of SUNY Oswego’s sustainability studies program. He lives in Auburn, New York.

Tim Madigan is a professor and department chair of philosophy at St. John Fisher College in Rochester, New York. A past president of the Northeast Popular Culture Association and a member of his college’s Center for Sustainability, he teaches courses on environmental ethics.

Tim Delaney and Tim Madigan

Format: softcover (6 x 9)
Pages: 296
Bibliographic Info: bibliography, index
Copyright Date: 2017
pISBN: 978-1-4766-6896-3
eISBN: 978-1-4766-2990-2
Imprint: McFarland

Acknowledgments v

Preface 1

Part I—Friendship  3

1. Aristotle on Friendship 4

2. Forming a Friendship 49

3. Cyber Socialization: The Transitional Step Toward Electronic Friendships 99

4. Electronic Friendships 134

Part II—Happiness  175

5. Conquering Unhappiness 176

6. Eudaimonia: A Philosophical Look at Happiness 198

7. The Pursuit and Attainment of Happiness: A Sociological Look at Happiness 220

Conclusion: The Connection Between Friendship and Happiness 257

Bibliography 267

Index 283