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The Four Levels of Happiness: Your Path to Personal Flourishing
Based on his study of great theologians and philosophers dating back to Aristotle, eminent philosopher and physicist Rev. Dr. Robert Spitzer devised his Four Levels of Happiness, asserting that whichever level dominates our lives will dictate our actions and determine the depth and endurance of our happiness. Incorporating examples from science, philosophy, psychology, and everyday life, Spitzer engagingly lays out achievable ways to ascend the ladder of happiness and find the fulfillment of all your desires.
Whether you are religiously minded or a skeptic, you will explore the fascinating relationship between science and the transcendent and gain keys to attaining the heights of joy. You will
Four questions that will help you determine where you are on the happiness scaleThe essential ingredient for level-one happinessThe endless loop people get stuck in with level-two happinessThe keys to level-three happiness and what goes into deciding to move to level fourNine questions to ask yourself about others that will enlighten your mind and change your lifeYou will also learn about five transcendental desires that pull you up toward the fourth level of happiness and five cosmic inadequacies that drive you beyond the world of the senses.
Through the lens of science, Spitzer sheds light on the origins of the universe and man and the benefits of supernatural faith. Additionally, he explains three types of prayer and methods for developing a personal relationship with the Creator to find lasting and authentic joy.
Most significantly, you will find what it truly means to reach the level of transcendence. As you learn practical tips based on Ignatius of Loyola's Rules of Discernment, you will be empowered to live an enlightened, purposeful, joyous life. Above all, through Spitzer's logical, systematic reasoning you will see the beauty of Providence at work in you and how to open your heart to the power of love.
Whether you are religiously minded or a skeptic, you will explore the fascinating relationship between science and the transcendent and gain keys to attaining the heights of joy. You will
Four questions that will help you determine where you are on the happiness scaleThe essential ingredient for level-one happinessThe endless loop people get stuck in with level-two happinessThe keys to level-three happiness and what goes into deciding to move to level fourNine questions to ask yourself about others that will enlighten your mind and change your lifeYou will also learn about five transcendental desires that pull you up toward the fourth level of happiness and five cosmic inadequacies that drive you beyond the world of the senses.
Through the lens of science, Spitzer sheds light on the origins of the universe and man and the benefits of supernatural faith. Additionally, he explains three types of prayer and methods for developing a personal relationship with the Creator to find lasting and authentic joy.
Most significantly, you will find what it truly means to reach the level of transcendence. As you learn practical tips based on Ignatius of Loyola's Rules of Discernment, you will be empowered to live an enlightened, purposeful, joyous life. Above all, through Spitzer's logical, systematic reasoning you will see the beauty of Providence at work in you and how to open your heart to the power of love.
224 pages, Hardcover
Published May 21, 2024
24 people are currently reading
41 people want to read
About the author
Robert J. Spitzer
29 books110 followersRobert J. Spitzer, SJ, Ph.D., is a Jesuit priest, philosopher, and educator, and retired President of Gonzaga University (Spokane, WA).
Fr. Spitzer is currently the president of the Magis Center of Faith and Reason and the Spitzer Center for Ethical Leadership.
http://www.magisreasonfaith.org/
Fr. Spitzer is currently the president of the Magis Center of Faith and Reason and the Spitzer Center for Ethical Leadership.
http://www.magisreasonfaith.org/
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August 17, 2025
Fr. Spitzer’s Four Levels of Happiness offers a structured way of thinking about the human search for fulfillment and points, as it should, to God as the source of our ultimate happiness. Many readers will find this framework straightforward and accessible, and I certainly affirm the conclusion.
My own hesitation lies less with the destination than with the route taken. The framework can feel shaped by modern assumptions about the self as an autonomous individual, which leaves community seeming like an accessory rather than a constitutive part of human flourishing. Likewise, the optimism about perceiving an inner light struck me as too generous—since strong feelings, for better or worse, are often mistaken for genuine illumination.
These concerns aside, the book succeeds in directing attention toward the highest level of happiness: a life ordered to God. For that reason, I recommend it—though readers inclined to probe deeper may notice the same tensions that gave me pause.
My own hesitation lies less with the destination than with the route taken. The framework can feel shaped by modern assumptions about the self as an autonomous individual, which leaves community seeming like an accessory rather than a constitutive part of human flourishing. Likewise, the optimism about perceiving an inner light struck me as too generous—since strong feelings, for better or worse, are often mistaken for genuine illumination.
These concerns aside, the book succeeds in directing attention toward the highest level of happiness: a life ordered to God. For that reason, I recommend it—though readers inclined to probe deeper may notice the same tensions that gave me pause.
Displaying 1 of 1 review