Non-Reduced “Happiness” and its Semantic Surroundings (On the Russian Linguistic Worldview)

Appealing to the Russian linguistic worldview, the author examines the concept of happiness. As with any other concept, it has an apophatically identified semantic center and two semantic layers surrounding it: near and far. In the near layer, the lexeme verbalizing the concept is invariable, while in the far layer, it can vary. Evaluating the correctness of the cataphatic discourse here requires considering how well it is retained within the near layer of the concepts used. The author also focuses on the specific approach to conceptualizing psycho-emotional phenomena, including happiness. The epicenter of the happiness concept is filled with the meaning of ‘overfullness’, and the near semantic layer of happiness with the meaning of ‘underoverfullness’. The fullness of happiness, both as a phenomenon and a concept, is always questionable. The ideas around it are historically associated with the worldviews of social progressivism and scientism. Views of the fundamental non-fullness of earthly happiness originate from monotheistic religious beliefs. The semantic composition of ‘overfullness’ and ‘underoverfullness’ is inherent to the perception of happiness within a consistent secular worldview strategy that distances itself from theistic, scientific and progressive determinations. A substantial distinction is made between happiness, on the one hand, and satisfaction and success, on the other. The latter two are viewed as results of reducing the former. Satisfaction and success are primarily interpreted as social phenomena, while happiness is mainly existential. The idea that collective happiness is possible at a large society level is met with skepticism. A person’s social goal is believed to be their fair recognition by those around them. The hypothesis developed by the author aligns with the wellknown scientific-humanitarian and artistic-poetic sketches of the Russian linguistic worldview.