In this blog post, we will consider whether advances in science and technology can bring sustainable happiness to humans, rather than momentary pleasure.
Perhaps all humans want to be happy. That is why we have worked hard to develop civilization for so long in pursuit of happiness. Human instincts drive us to pursue a better life, and this desire has been the driving force behind countless innovations and discoveries. In particular, people generally believe that the advancement of science and technology is for the sake of human happiness. As science advances, it makes our lives more convenient and improves our quality of life, which is why the advancement of science and technology continues and will remain an area that we must continue to strive for in the future. Humans want a better environment, safer lives, and longer health, and believe that all of these things ultimately lead to happiness. This belief stems from the expectation that science is not merely a technical achievement, but has the ultimate goal of human happiness.
Because humanity’s efforts in science have been unceasing throughout history, attempts to verify whether this is indeed the right direction have also been unceasing. Since the ultimate goal of scientific and technological development is human happiness, it may be natural to compare the degree of happiness in past societies with that in present societies in order to verify the legitimacy of scientific development. Especially with the increasing complexity and stress factors in modern society, doubts have grown about whether technological progress is truly making us happier. However, can we really objectively quantify happiness and compare it?
I believe that happiness cannot be expressed in numbers. Therefore, it is impossible to compare the happiness of past societies with that of present societies. Furthermore, it is impossible to measure and quantify the happiness of individuals or societies as a whole. The most compelling reason for this is that it is obvious that happiness cannot be expressed in clear, objective indicators.
Is it really possible to reduce human experience to simple numbers? The very definition of happiness varies from person to person, so measuring it is inherently difficult. Considering the complexity and subjectivity of happiness, reducing it to a single number inevitably leads to distortion. However, those who argue that happiness can be expressed in numbers may counter that there are already methods for measuring happiness.
In fact, there are already existing data that attempt to quantify happiness, such as survey results asking people about their happiness, hormone measurements using human biochemical systems, accelerometers, and happiness indices that indicate how happy citizens are in each country. However, since happiness cannot be quantified, these data can be considered inappropriate. Then, why doesn’t an objective indicator for judging happiness exist?
The answer to this question leads to the question of what the essence of happiness is. What is happiness? Everyone wants to be happy, but it is difficult to define exactly what happiness is and reach a unanimous agreement. The contemplation of happiness has a long history alongside the study of science, but it is difficult to find a clear answer. Ancient philosophers viewed happiness as the ultimate goal of human life and emphasized various virtues and moral qualities to achieve it.
In contrast, modern society tends to view happiness as something more material and immediate. However, most people define happiness based on their own subjective feelings. They consider pleasant feelings to be happiness and sad or painful feelings to be the opposite, or unhappiness. The criteria for judging happiness are subjective moods or feelings, and there is no objective measure. This view of happiness as a subjective feeling is based on liberalism. Liberalism asserts that good and evil, beauty and ugliness, and other such concepts are determined by how we feel. Liberalism leaves most judgments to the individual. It encourages people to decide for themselves, without interference from others, whether they are happy or unhappy by listening to their inner voice and following their subjective feelings. This is why we generally believe that we ourselves are the best judges of whether we are happy or unhappy.
What if happiness is really the same as pleasure, a subjective feeling, i.e., a pleasant emotion? Let’s consider dopamine, a neurotransmitter that makes us feel good. Dopamine is known to be secreted mainly when we are in love, especially during sexual intercourse. That is why we generally say we are happy when we are in love. However, dopamine is also released in other situations, such as when we take drugs or drink alcohol. If we accept this and say that pleasant emotions and happiness are the same, then the question arises: “Does the essence of happiness also exist in drugs like heroin?” I think this is a clear example of why subjective feelings cannot be trusted.
Most religions and philosophies have a very different stance on happiness than liberalism. Religions do not trust subjective feelings, and Buddhism, in particular, has systematically studied happiness. Buddhist happiness is completely different from subjective feelings. People seek happiness through the fulfillment of desires, but Buddhism teaches that the emotion of pleasure is actually very temporary and changes from moment to moment. Ultimately, the more one pursues pleasant emotions in order to be happy, the further one moves away from happiness, and this becomes the root of suffering in Buddhism. Buddhist doctrine aims to realize the futility of pursuing emotions through meditation and to cease desiring them. The Buddha emphasized the pursuit of ultimate enlightenment rather than the pursuit of finite and insignificant happiness. According to this, true happiness can be found by observing one’s body and mind through meditation, confirming that all emotions arise and disappear, and realizing the futility of emotions. Buddhism asserts that when we stop pursuing emotions, our inner selves will immediately attain peace, and that is happiness.
Ultimately, according to Buddhist happiness theory, when pursuing happiness, it is correct not to equate it with the pursuit of pleasant emotional states, and that true happiness lies in knowing one’s true nature. Emotions and happiness can be seen as completely different concepts. Emotions are temporary and changeable, but happiness is a more lasting and internal state. Ultimately, measuring happiness by measuring “emotions” is wrong, so the data presented above as evidence of happiness—survey results asking people about their happiness, hormone measurements using the human biochemical system, accelerometers, happiness indices that indicate how happy people are in each country—are ultimately nothing more than attempts to quantify the emotions people feel in a moment, and from the perspective of Buddhist happiness theory, it is difficult to say that they measure happiness. Since the essence of happiness is not emotion, it can be said that happiness cannot be quantified.
Of course, it cannot be said that Buddhist happiness theory is the only correct answer regarding the essence of happiness. However, given that this is one perspective on the happiness that humans ultimately pursue, and that the claim that happiness and emotions are not the same exists in religions and philosophies other than Buddhism, the assertion that happiness can be expressed numerically seems difficult to accept.
The form of happiness that we ultimately pursue through scientific and technological progress may be more than just emotional pleasure. Therefore, it is difficult to avoid criticism that methods of measuring happiness that focus on momentary changes in emotions are not sufficiently comprehensive. In conclusion, happiness is a concept different from momentary emotions, and therefore, it is impossible to express happiness as a clear indicator.
Since the essence of happiness cannot be measured chemically or physically and quantified, it is impossible to objectively compare happiness in the past and present. In this regard, we need to carefully consider whether the advancement of science and technology is truly bringing us true happiness. Exploring the definition of happiness in a broader and deeper way is what will guide our lives in a better direction.
