This title provides an insightful meditation on the perennial question of how to find true happiness. Even though everyone wants to be happy, for most people the pursuit of happiness is a tantalizing and often frustrating endeavour. Even in this, the most prosperous era in history, there seem to be more dissatisfied people than ever before. In this insightful discussion, ethicist Arthur Dobrin argues that our pervasive and gnawing sense of dissatisfaction is mainly self-inflicted - as long as our society emphasizes individual needs and wants as life's primary focus, we will never find happiness. Drawing on recent studies in evolutionary biology, as well as philosophy, comparative religion, and literature, Dobrin shows that happiness results not from our pursuit of it, but from relationships that foster mutual enhancement and are built on a foundation of compassion for others and justice for all.
