Critique on Happiness and Analysis Essay

In Karl Gibersons article The Ends of Happiness (2006), from the Science & Spirit magazine, he raises the topic of comfort, where he hires that passel are now pursue the authority to happiness as an end to itself and have missed the point of life. Although Giberson(2006) has made both(prenominal) valid arguments in claiming that people pursue wealth as a means to happiness, his arguments are largely undermined due to a lack of reliable evidences.Gibersons (2006) claims are not unfounded, as human beings tend to set their goals on material success. For them, monetary success is their definition of happiness. This idea is illustrated by the statement The means have become an end for many of us(para. 11). He goes on to say that many others cant seek happiness directly (para. 7). His thoughts organize well with societys widely accepted view that without family and friends it is hard to find happiness, for these are essential partners in living and doing well(para. 9). As such, Gib erson (2006) implies that happiness comes from the various experiences and journeys which we go through in life, such as quality time spent with people around us.However, Giberson (2006) makes an unsuccessful attempt in persuading his readers to encounter his beliefs by merely referencing to Aristotles philosophy of living well and doing well (para. 8). Throughout the article, Giberson (2006) constantly refers to his own opinions and experiences. For example, he reminisces that in reflecting on the accumulated memories of gifted times he finds himself agreeing with Aristotle (para. 12). Thereafter, he mentions that he coached his childrens sports teams and lov(ed) it (para. 13).This demonstrates that his views are greatly influenced by emotions rather than facts. Although the use of anecdotes sparks interest and engages his readers effectively, his excessive usage of this communication technique makes his arguments search unsupported and weak. As a result of his heavy reliance on his own opinions, it has led to a hasty generalisation in his argument as seen through his claim that America is not a nation pursuing happiness (para. 11). Due to a lack of expert opinion and statistical data, his claim remains unpersuasive and has little credibility. Hence, Gibersons(2006) article lacks concrete support and fails to make a compelling argument.Although Giberson (2006) provides a good point of view on how people are becoming too focused on wealth in the pursuit of happiness, he makes sweeping statements that lacks credibility. He can provide a more(prenominal) concrete argument by using a wider range of reliable sources. This will greatly strengthen Gibersons (2006) argument and lend credibility to his claim. It would financial aid greatly if he had supporting opinions of other academic writers who follow his train of thought. In essence, his article did indeed establish his thesis that people are pursuing the means to happiness as an end to itself, but had un fortunately failed to compellingly persuade his audience.ReferenceGiberson, K. (2006, March/April). The Ends of Happiness. Retrieved on 21 Jan 2013 from http//ehis.ebscohost.com/eds/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?sid=4e0e6d4c-0091-45b9-be30-fd892a301bf9%40sessionmgr10&vid=3&hid=2