Happiness: A Philosopher's Guide

Happiness: A Philosopher's Guide

<b>A huge bestseller </b>in Europe, Frederic Lenoir’s <i>Happiness</i> is an exciting journey that examines how history’s greatest philosophers and religious figures have answered life’s most fundamental question:<i> What is happiness and how do I achieve it?</i><br><br> From the ancient Greeks on—from Aristotle, Plato, and Chuang Tzu to the Buddha, Jesus, and Muhammad; from Voltaire, Spinoza, and Schopenhauer to Kant, Freud, and even modern neuroscientists—Lenoir considers the idea that true and lasting happiness is indeed possible.<br><br> In clear language, Lenoir concisely surveys what the greatest thinkers of all time have had to say on the subject, and, with charming prose, raises provocative questions: <br>  <br> ·      Do we have a duty to be happy? <br> ·      Is there a connection between individual and collective happiness? <br> ·      Is happiness contagious? <br> ·      Is there a difference between pleasure and happiness? <br> ·      Can unhappiness and happiness coexist? <br> ·      Does our happiness depend on our luck?<br>  <br> Understanding how civilization’s best minds have answered those questions, Lenoir suggests, not only makes for a fascinating reading experience, but also provides a way for us to see us how happiness, that most elusive of feelings, is attainable in our own lives.