华东师范大学(哲学社会科学版) ›› 2013, Vol. 45 ›› Issue (1): 79-86.

• 经济学研究 • 上一篇    下一篇

两种幸福悖论:收入悖论和欲望悖论

傅红春, 王瑾   

  1. 华东师范大学商学院,上海,200241
  • 出版日期:2013-01-15 发布日期:2013-03-27
  • 通讯作者: 傅红春, 王瑾
  • 作者简介:傅红春, 王瑾
  • 基金资助:

    国家自然科学基金项目(71073054)的阶段性研究成果

Two Paradoxes of Happiness: Income Paradox and Desire Paradox

FU Hong-Chun, WANG Jin   

  • Online:2013-01-15 Published:2013-03-27
  • Contact: FU Hong-Chun, WANG Jin
  • About author: FU Hong-Chun, WANG Jin

摘要: 有一种幸福公式是:幸福=收入/欲望。为了“幸福最大化”,可以选择两种完全相反的路径,一种是尽量做大公式中的分子(增加收入),另一种是尽量做小公式中的分母(减少欲望)。前一种路径导致的幸福悖论是“收入悖论”(伊斯特林悖论,以现代西方为代表),后一种路径导致的幸福悖论则是“欲望悖论”(以古代中国为代表)。两个不同的幸福悖论其实是在一个统一的经济学框架之内,这也正是两个悖论的破解方法。

关键词: 幸福, 收入, 欲望, 悖论

Abstract: There is a formula of happiness: Happiness = income / desire. In order to “maximize happiness”, two completely contrary approaches are possible: one is to maximize the numerator in the formula, i.e., to increase income, whereas the other is to minimize the denominator in the formula, i.e., to lessen desire. The former results in an “income-paradox” (or Easterlin paradox) typically in contemporary West. In contrast, the latter brings out a “desire-paradox”, which can be easy find in ancient China. These two paradoxes can be understood and consequently solved within one framework of economics.