Description
Book Synopsis* A brief history of happiness, reviewing 2,500 years of philosophical thought about the concept. * Addresses key questions such as what happiness is and whether or not happiness should play such a dominant role in our lives.
Trade Review"White takes his readers on [a] journey, aiming to reach an appreciation of the nature of happiness. He splendidly suceeds in making the journey as fascinating as it deserves to be. White has produced a unique, thoughtful work that provides a meaningful excursion through our conceptions of happiness. Readers will be left with a gift of greater insight into both the triumphs and limitations of our efforts to understand ourselves."
PsycCRITIQUES "A valuable aid to the flourishing literature on happiness and its history."
Ethics
"Nicholas White offers a brisk, informative, and readable account of various attempts, throughout the Western philosophical tradition, to articulate the meaning of that elusive term 'happiness.'" Review of Metaphysics
Table of ContentsPreface vii
1 Introducing the Concept 1
2 Conflicts, Perspectives, and the Identification of Happiness 6
3 Pleasure, Hedonism, and the Measurement of Happiness 41
4 Happiness as Structure and Harmony 75
5 Morality, Happiness, and Conflict 116
6 Happiness, Fact, and Value 142
7 Doing without the Concept 162
Glossary and List of Historical Figures 175
Bibliography 181
Index 187
