• Considers our definitions of happiness, and its subjective values
• Provides an overview of contemporary and historical thinking about happiness
• Looks at both the philosophical and psychological aspects of happiness
• Considers not just what happiness is, and what brings it, but how happiness fits into an ethical life
• Part of the bestselling Very Short Introductions series

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.