英语美文：幸福的意义VIP免费

91、TheMeaningofHappiness幸福的意义生词拦路虎1.definev.定义2.implicationn.暗示3.conductv.引导4.definitionn.阐释5.minimizingadj.最小化的6.maximizingadj.最大化的7.underlyingadj.隐含的8.mathematicsn.数学9.deathbedn.临终之时10.surfacen.表面11.casen.情况12.forensicanthropologistn.法医学家13.Rwandan.卢旺达(非洲中东部国家名)14.digup挖掘出15.genociden.种族灭绝16.gruesomeadj.可怕的17.afterwardadv.后来18.hedonismn.享乐主义19.implicitlyadv.含蓄地20.individualn.个人悦读时刻Becausehappinessissomethingmostofusaimfor,howwedefineithasimportantimplicationsforhowweconductourlives.Toseewhy,comparethesetwocompetingdefinitionsofhappiness:1.Happinessisallaboutminimisingpainandmaximisingpleasure.Theunderlyingideahereisthatthereisakindofmathematicsofhappiness.Imagineifonourdeathbedswewereabletoaddupallthemomentsofpleasureinourlivesandthenallthemomentsofpain.Theamountbywhichthepleasuresexceededthepainswouldtellushowhappywewereduringourlives.2.Happinessissatisfactionwithlifeasawhole.Onthesurfacethislookslikethesameideabutactuallyit’scompletelydifferent.ConsiderthecaseofCleaKoff,aforensicanthropologistwhospentnineyearsworkinginRwanda,digginguptheremainsofpeoplekilledinthe1994genocide.Whilethiswasclearlyagruesometaskthatwouldhavegivenmostpeoplenightmares,afterwardssheexplainedthattheworkwasmeaningful,whichmadeitworthwhile.ForKoff,then,happinesswassatisfactionthatshehaddonetherightthingwithherlife.Pleasureandpain.Thefirstdefinitionofhappinessisperhapstheonemostassociatedwithhedonism,andonethatisimplicitlyacceptedbymanypeople.ButIthinktheseconddefinitionismuchbetterbecauseitmakesroomfortheideathatwegivemeaningtothethingswedo.Happinessisnotjustaheadlongchargetowardswhatevermakesusfeelpleasure,itisaboutfindingsatisfactioninourselvesandinwhatwehavedone.Evenwhenwhatwehavedonehasbeenpainful,likeCleaKoff’swork.Happinessmeansdifferentthingstodifferentpeople.Forexample,somepeoplebelievethatiftheyhavelotsofmoney,theywillbehappy.Theybelievethatiftheyarewealthy,theywillbeabletodoanythingtheywant,whichmeanshappiness.Ontheotherhand,somepeoplebelievethatholdingahighpositioninthegovernmentishappiness.Inthisway,youhavenotonlymoney,butalsomanyotherthingswhichcan’tbeboughtbymoney.However,otherpeoplebelievethathavinglotsofmoneyisnothappinessnorisholdingahighpositioninthegovernment.Thesepeoplevaluetheirbeliefs,ortheirintelligence,ortheirhealth.Theythinkthesecanmakethemhappy.Forme,happinessiscloselytiedtomystudies,myworkandmyfamily.WhenImadegreatprogressinmystudies,whenImadecontributionstothesocietythroughmywork,whenallthemembersinmyfamilyliveinharmony,sharinggoodandsadtimes,Iwashappy.Althoughthedefinitionofhappinessdependsoneachindividual,my“wealth”ofhappinessisinmystudies,mywork,andmyfamily.中文参考我们大多数人都不懈地追求着幸福，因而对于“幸福”的理解也会对我们的生活产生潜移默化的影响。为了搞清楚其中奥妙，我们来比较一下两种对于“幸福”的不同定义：1.幸福就是将痛楚最小化，将快乐最大化。这里的根本观点是幸福指数存在进行某种运算关系。想象生命垂危之时，将一生的各个美好瞬间和各种痛苦时刻叠加。当美好超过痛楚，说明我们此生是何等幸福了。2.幸福就是对生活的全部感到满足。乍一看，这个定义与前一观点几无差异，但实则不然。来看看克里科夫的经历：作为一位法医学者，她在卢旺达负责挖掘在1994年种族灭绝中遇难者的遗体，在那里她度过了九年的工作生涯。显然，这项令人毛骨悚然的任务足以使大多数人恶梦缠身。但是事后，她解释道，这项工作很有意义，...