Organized Content Descriptions 

*There’s More to Life Than Being Happy

*The how of Happiness: A Scientific Approach to Getting the Life You Want

*New Developments in the Meaning of Life

*Meaningfulness and Time

*Wealth and Happiness

1. Working Hypothesis 1

Happiness is key in life. Without happiness what do we really have? Many people would agree with the above statement, but what is a happy life if it also has no meaning. Does being happy automatically mean ones life has meaning? Some live lives that have meaning for themselves and some live a life that has meaning because of others. Which is less selfish? Well, a life were the only happiness a person has comes from material things; money, clothes, cars, yes that may be nice, but at the end of the day there is nothing substantial that makes that life worth living. Take away the money, the cars, the material lifestyle and all that is left is a selfish person with nothing to show for it. In life there is so many different things that can have meaning, and it is different for every person. A meaningful life is a happy life, but is a happy life a meaningful one? There is no way to have a genuinely happy life without giving it meaning.

1a. Working Hypothesis 2 

Can someone be happy and not have meaningful aspects in their life? Life is never one sided. People all over the world have different opinions, personalities, and a different definition of what a “happy life is.” Not everyone needs to do things such as volunteer at a soup kitchen to feel like they have lived a happy and successful life. A happy life can be achieved through many different ways, someone can definitely be happy without meaning.

Topics for smaller papers 

What is the meaning of life? 

Does life have a set meaning and set handbook that has to be followed or do we as individuals define life in our own ways, all of them varying but related.

What brings people happiness 

How many different ways are there to make someone happy. Is there a factor that may make people happy that is greater then others. How many different ways can you make someone happy and what makes one person happy, will it make another happy?

Someone can live a happy life on their own terms 

When going through life a person defines on their own what makes them happy. There are no set boundaries as to how a person should gain their happiness. If a materialistic life full of selfishness and objects brings a person the happiness they desire and fulfills there needs then nothing else matters.

Current State of Research Paper 

So far the progress that has been made on my research paper is pleasing. There is a solid ground for a well written paper with a lot of different counterintuitive’s all wrapped into one. There are multiple arguments that are strong and can be used to write a paper for this topic. There has also been a lot of information obtained that will be used as support for my argument.