Stumbling on Happiness by Daniel Gilbert Study Guide ...文档.pdfVIP

SSttuummbblliinngg oonn HHaappppiinneessss bbyy DDaanniieell GGiillbbeerrtt SSttuuddyy GGuuiiddee IInnttrroodduuccttiioonn So heres a question that youre probably dying to ask me: Why does Stumbling on Hap- piness have twelve chapters? Does it have something to do with the number of days of Christmas, the number of tribes in Israel, the number of Apostles, monkeys, eggs, or angry men? No. But as it happens, twelve is the number of weeks that a seminar at Harvard Univer- sity typically meets, which means that my book is ideal for teaching. This year I designed and taught a seminar in which my students read one chapter from my book every week (plus a few other readings) and then met to discuss it. I taught one version of the semi- nar for graduate students and one for undergraduate students, and both seminars were great fun for me. The students seemed to like them, too. At least no one passed out. In the syllabus, Ive described the main idea that each chapter of my book raises, and included a few key points for discussion and references to some supplemental readings that might inform it. Copyright law prohibits me from posting the readings themselves, but you should be able to find them in a library. Feel free to copy this syllabus—use it, change it, rearrange it, or sell it on eBay. One thing youll notice about these readings is that they are primarily psychology arti- cles because I am, in point of fact, a psychologist. Thats why I say things like in point of fact. I hope that those of you who read my book will send me suggestions for relevant readings in other fields—such as economics, biology, philosophy, business, the arts—to be included in future seminars. If you do, Ill post your suggestions here on this website, and together we can build the worlds longest reading list, thereby keeping several generations of promising young people from ever finishing college. Happy stumbling! JJoouurr