Subjective Wellbeing
Year: 2013
Type: reference-entry
Abstract: The cross‐cultural importance of happiness and contentment can be inferred from their emergence in philosophical discussions across many cultural traditions. Aristotle linked happiness to virtuous behavior; Bentham regarded it as the basis for an overarching moral principle. An appeal of Buddhist meditation is the sense of contentment and freedom from suffering that mindful awareness can bring. Even Confucius—whose emphasis on social harmony and righteous action invites the image of a stern, conservative scholar—was said to be a man “whose life was full of joy”, a characteristic that may have been as appealing to his many disciples as his teachings.
Authors: William Tov, Ed Diener
Language: English
Subfield: Social Psychology
Field: Psychology
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W4230157997