{"product_id":"philosophies-of-happiness-a-comparative-introduction-to-the-flourishing-life-9780231184113","title":"Philosophies of Happiness: A Comparative Introduction to the Flourishing Life","description":"\u003cp\u003eWhat does it mean to be truly happy? In \u003ci\u003ePhilosophies of Happiness\u003c\/i\u003e, Diana Lobel provides a rich spectrum of arguments for a theory of happiness as flourishing or well-being, offering a global, cross-cultural, and interdisciplinary perspective on how to create a vital, fulfilling, and significant life. Drawing upon perspectives from a broad range of philosophical traditions--Eastern and Western, ancient and contemporary--the book suggests that just as physical health is the well-being of the body, happiness is the healthy and flourishing condition of the whole human being, and we experience the most complete happiness when we realize our potential through creative engagement. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eLobel shows that while thick descriptions of happiness differ widely in texture and detail, certain themes resonate across texts from different traditions and historical contexts, suggesting core features of a happy life: attentive awareness; effortless action; relationship and connection to a larger, interconnected community; love or devotion; and creative engagement. Each feature adds meaning, significance, and value, so that we can craft lives of worth and purpose. These themes emerge from careful study of philosophical and religious texts and traditions: the Greek philosophers Aristotle and Epicurus; the Chinese traditions of Confucius, Laozi, and Zhuangzi; the Hindu \u003ci\u003eBhagavad Gītā\u003c\/i\u003e; the Japanese Buddhist tradition of Soto Zen master Dōgen and his modern expositor Shunryu Suzuki; the Western religious traditions of Augustine and Maimonides; the Persian Sufi tale \u003ci\u003eConference of the Birds\u003c\/i\u003e; and contemporary research on mindfulness and creativity. Written in a clear, accessible style, \u003ci\u003ePhilosophies of Happiness\u003c\/i\u003e invites readers of all backgrounds to explore and engage with religious and philosophical conceptions of what makes life meaningful. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eVisit https: \/\/cup.columbia.edu\/extras\/supplement\/philosophies-of-happiness for additional appendixes and supplemental notes.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAbout the Author\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eDiana Lobel is associate professor of religion at Boston University. She is the author of \u003ci\u003eBetween Mysticism and Philosophy: Sufi Language of Religious Experience in Judah Ha-Levi's \u003c\/i\u003eKuzari (2000), \u003ci\u003eA Sufi-Jewish Dialogue: Philosophy and Mysticism in Bahya Ibn Paqūda's \u003c\/i\u003eDuties of the Heart\u003ci\u003e \u003c\/i\u003e(2006), and \u003ci\u003eThe Quest for God and the Good: World Philosophy as a Living Experience\u003c\/i\u003e (Columbia, 2011).\u003cbr\u003e","brand":"Columbia University Press","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":50503152402706,"sku":"9780231184113","price":43.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0831\/4771\/8930\/files\/img_dcfd9950-44e6-480c-8135-f0896f8c85d6.jpg?v=1730783982","url":"https:\/\/surprise-castle.myshopify.com\/products\/philosophies-of-happiness-a-comparative-introduction-to-the-flourishing-life-9780231184113","provider":"Surprise Castle","version":"1.0","type":"link"}