The Pursuit of Happiness and the Traditions of Wisdom

1. Front Matter

   Pages i-xvi

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2. Classic Wisdom About Ways to Happiness: How Does It Apply Today?

   • Ruut Veenhoven

   Pages 1-12

3. More Terminological and Methodological Problems in Measuring Happiness, Life Satisfaction and Well-Being: Some First Empirical Results

   • Anna Maffioletti, Agata Maida, Francesco Scacciati

   Pages 13-21

4. Happiness-Freedom: Who Suffers? From Dukkha to Samadhi

   • Serge-Christophe Kolm

   Pages 23-31

5. Happiness, Dharma and Economics

   • Roberto Burlando

   Pages 33-50

6. Happiness Is an Art of Living: Towards a Contemplative Perspective on Economy as Relational Work

   • Vincenzo M. B. Giorgino

   Pages 51-71

7. Back Matter

   Pages 73-74

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This book presents a discussion of happiness that takes the shape of a dialogue between contemplative knowledge and practice or the wisdom traditions and the social sciences. It examines the different definitions of happiness in relation to wisdom traditions and the impact of these traditions on current research. It explores topics such as the pursuit of a good life, the pursuit of eudaimonia and the meaning of economic and social suffering from the perspective of the social sciences. It further discusses how the social sciences can meet people’s aspirations towards a world of higher well-being in our time, and what the future challenges are. The book includes both theoretical and empirical contributions on the matter and opens up a new line of transdisciplinary research. Overcoming barriers between disciplines and fields of knowledge, the book presents a beneficial cross-fertilization to achieve a wiser model of man.

• Buddhist Egology
• Buddism as Diminishing of Suffering
• Contemplative Knowledge and Practices
• Dealing with Suffering
• Empirical Happiness Research
• Freedom and Happiness
• Happiness and Freedom
• Human Flourishing
• Life Satisfaction and Quality of Life
• Meaning of Life
• Methodological Problems in Measuring Happiness
• Methodological Problems in Measuring Life Satisfaction
• Methodological Problems in Measuring Well-Being
• Public Economy
• Well-Being and Happiness
• Wisdom Traditions

From the book reviews:

“The present book makes a contribution to positive psychology, one that will especially interest economists, sociologists, scholars focusing on the psychology of religion, and positive psychologists. … In under 100 pages, the format seems appropriate for researchers aiming to convert a well-received conference symposium into a publication.” (Grant J. Rich, PsycCRITIQUES, Vol. 60 (8), February, 2015)

• University of Torino, Turin, Italy

  Vincenzo Giorgino

Vincenzo M.B. Giorgino (ed.) sociologist, University of Torino Aggregate Professor of Economic Sociology. Since 1998 he focused his interests on the integration of contemplative knowledge and social sciences in teaching and research, at theoretical and methodological levels.

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