Our systems are now restored following recent technical disruption, and we’re working hard to catch up on publishing. We apologise for the inconvenience caused. Find out more

Item added to bagSorry, there was a problem getting your bag informationItem cannot be purchased with the existing contents of your bagItem unavailable online
✕

was added to your bag.

Please try again.

Sorry, this item cannot be purchased in the same transaction as the existing items in your bag.

Please complete the purchase of the items currently in your bag and then add this item in a separate transaction or visit Shopping Help.

Sorry, this product is not currently available to buy online. Please visit Shopping Help.

View bag and checkout
Remove item
✕

Are you sure you want to remove from your bag?

Recommended product

Popular links

Popular links

The Psychology of Happiness

All titles
The Psychology of Happiness

The Psychology of Happiness

A Good Human Life
Samuel S. Franklin, California State University, Fresno
November 2009
Available
Paperback
9780521138673
    Description

    When Thomas Jefferson placed 'the pursuit of happiness' along with life and liberty in The Declaration of Independence he was most likely referring to Aristotle's concept of happiness, or eudaimonia. Eudaimonia is not about good feelings but rather the fulfilment of human potentials. Fulfilment is made possible by virtue; the moderation of desire and emotion by reason. The Psychology of Happiness was the first book to bring together psychological, philosophical, and physiological theory and research in support of Aristotle's view. It examines the similarity between Aristotle's concept of virtue and modern cognitive theories of emotion. It discusses the discovery of human potentials, the development of virtue and its neurological basis, the mistaken idea that fulfilment is selfish, and several other issues related to the pursuit of a good human life.

    • Written for a non professional readership presenting Aristotle's ideas and psychological theory in a straightforward, uncomplicated style, free of philosophical and psychological jargon
    • No other previous book reviewed Aristotle's ideas on happiness and supports them with contemporary psychological theory and research
    • Offers a theoretical and empirical analysis of Aristotle's concept of virtue which lies at the heart of his ethical writings

    Reviews & endorsements

    'Franklin … reaches his own synthesis of Aristotle's philosophy and scientific psychology. This means that this book is suited for at least two audiences. It is an excellent introduction to Aristotle's philosophy and the ideas in psychology, which are relevant for thinking about the good life. Above that it is interesting for people who look for a synthesis in the burgeoning field of happiness research, and who do not like the hedonistic variants of happiness.' Ad Bergsma, Erasmus University Rotterdam

    See more reviews

    Product details

    November 2009
    Paperback
    9780521138673
    192 pages
    231 × 152 × 12 mm
    0.27kg
    7 b/w illus.
    Available

    Often bought together

    This title is available for institutional purchase via Cambridge Core

    Learn more
    cambridge core banner

    Related Journals

    Epidemiology and Psychiatric Sciences
    Epidemiology and Psychiatric Sciences

    : Journal

    Epidemiology and Psychiatric Sciences is an international, peer-reviewed journal published bimonthly from 2015. Formerly published as Epidemiologia e Psichiatria Sociale, established in 1992 by Michele Tansella, the journal gives priority to highly relevant and innovative research articles and systematic reviews in the areas of public mental health and policy; mental health services, system research; and epidemiological and social psychiatry.

    Journal of Biosocial Science
    Journal of Biosocial Science

    : Journal

    Journal of Biosocial Science is a leading interdisciplinary and international journal in the field of biosocial science, the common ground between biology and sociology. It acts as an essential reference guide for all biological and social scientists working in these interdisciplinary areas, including social and biological aspects of reproduction and its control, gerontology, ecology, genetics, applied psychology, sociology, education, demography, health and epidemiology. Publishing original research papers, short reports, reviews, lectures and book reviews, the journal also includes a Debate section that encourages readers' comments on specific articles, with subsequent response from the original author. JBS is truly international both in terms of geographical areas covered and its contributors. Its reputation for high quality and outstanding scholarship has made it into one of the leading journals in the area of biosocial science.

    Behavioural Public Policy
    Behavioural Public Policy

    : Journal

    Behavioural Public Policy is an interdisciplinary and international peer-reviewed journal devoted to behavioural research and its relevance to public policy. The study of human behaviour is important within many disciplinary specialties and in recent years the findings from this field have begun to be applied to policy concerns in a substantive and sustained way. BPP seeks to be multidisciplinary and therefore welcomes articles from economists, psychologists, philosophers, anthropologists, sociologists, political scientists, primatologists, evolutionary biologists, legal scholars and others, so long as their work relates the study of human behaviour directly to a policy concern. BPP focuses on high-quality research which has international relevance and which is framed such that the arguments are accessible to a multidisciplinary audience of academics and policy makers.

    Related Journals

    Also by this Author

    Contents

    Table of Contents

    • 1. What is happiness
    • 2. Happiness as fulfillment
    • 3. Aristotle's ethics
    • 4. Actualization: psychological views
    • 5. Knowing thyself
    • 6. The things we need to be happy: the relativity of goods and the golden mean
    • 7. Introduction to virtue
    • 8. Some of the more important virtues
    • 9. Virtue and emotion
    • 10. Early psychological views of virtue and emotion
    • 11. Virtue and emotion: recent psychological views
    • 12. The physiological basis of virtue
    • 13. Emotional intelligence
    • 14. The development of virtue according to Aristotle
    • 15. Psychological views of virtue development
    • 16. The polis and actualization
    • 17. Contemplation: another kind of happiness.
      • Show more

    Look inside

    Courses
    Resources
    Additional Information
    About the authors
      Author
    • Samuel S. Franklin , California State University, Fresno

      Samuel S. Franklin is Professor Emeritus of Psychology at California State University, Fresno. His work has focused on visual perception, motivation, the history of psychology, and the psychology of happiness. He began teaching the psychology of happiness in the late 1970s and was one of the first to do so. His research on Aristotle's view of happiness has been presented at conferences, and he has published several articles in the area of visual perception.

    Browse by related subject

     
    ✕

    Sorry, this item cannot be purchased in the same transaction as the existing items in your cart.

    Please complete the purchase of the items currently in your cart and then add this item in a separate transaction or contact

    Customer Services