Happiness: A Very Short Introduction

Description

Happiness is an everyday term in our lives, and most of us strive to be happy. But defining happiness can be difficult. In this Very Short Introduction, Dan Haybron considers the true nature of happiness. By examining what it is, assessing its subjective values, its importance in our lives, and how we can (and should) pursue it, he considers the current thinking on happiness, from psychology to philosophy. Illustrating the diverse routes to happiness, Haybron reflects on the growing influence of secular Western ideas in the contemporary pursuit of a good life, and considers the influence of social context on our satisfaction and well-being.

Author description

Daniel M. Haybron is an Associate Professor in the Philosophy Department at Saint Louis University. An authority on well-being and the good life, moral evil, and the virtues, he has conducted research on happiness since 1995. He is the author of The Pursuit of Unhappiness.

Table of contents

1. A remarkable fact ; 2. What is happiness? ; 3. Measuring happiness ; 4. Life satisfaction ; 5. The source of happiness ; 6. Beyond happiness: well-being ; 7. Getting outside oneself: virtue and meaning