Basic Knowledge Series

happiness

Author Name: Tim Lomas

What does it mean to be happy? Happiness as a state of mind is perhaps both enigmatic and elusive, and the concept of happiness remains largely unclear, despite much written about it. In this book from the "Basic Knowledge" series, psychologist Tim Lomas takes us on a quick and exciting tour of happiness, offering a broad view of its meaning, exploring a wide range of areas of experience and drawing on disciplines ranging from philosophy and sociology to economics and anthropology. Lomas traces ideas about happiness, beginning with Buddhist concepts such as nirvana, through Aristotle's distinction between hedonistic happiness and eudaimonia, and ending with contemporary therapeutic and scientific approaches. He then presents his own division and classification of the different forms of happiness, defining each one, and discusses current academic perspectives, reviewing research on happiness in various disciplines. He examines the mechanisms of happiness—the physiological, psychological, phenomenological, and sociocultural processes that shape it. He explores the factors that influence it at the individual and societal levels, and discusses ways to facilitate and develop it.