Main description:

Health and Happiness takes a fresh interdisciplinary approach to the discussion of the relationship between health and happiness by examining how the topic is approached from both the field of philosophy and the field of psychology. With Important concepts explained clearly throughout and with features such as recommended reading, discussion points and key words, this book is essential reading for students studying philosophy of psychology, philosophy of medicine or the psychology of health and/or well-being.

Contents:

Introduction

Part I - Happiness and Wellbeing

Chapter one: Concepts of happiness and wellbeing

1.1. Happiness: subjective or objective?

1.2. Different accounts of wellbeing: hedonism, eudemonia, preference satisfaction, objective list account.

1.3. Can we measure happiness?

Chapter two: How to be happy

2.1. Wealth, religious or political affiliation

2.2. Identity and relatedness

2.3. Experience: joy and flow

Chapter three: The meaningful life

3.1. Mortality and boredom

3.2. Family life

3.3. Consumerism and existentialism

Chapter four: Happiness, rationality and wise choices

4.1. Epistemic and pragmatic rationality

4.2. Positive illusions and enhanced memories

4.3. Intuition and reflection in decision making

Chapter five: Happiness and adversities

5.1. Resilience

5.2. Wellbeing and the environment

5.3. Places of safety and therapeutic environments

Part II - Disease, distress and disability

Chapter six: Concepts of disease, distress and disability

6.1. Diseased bodies and disordered minds

6.2. Disability

6.3. Distress and loss of control

Chapter seven: Illness, disability and happiness

7.1. Happiness in chronic illness

7.2. Happiness and disability

7.3. Post-traumatic growth

Chapter eight: Health and the self

8.1. Health, autonomy and emotions

8.2. False and fragmented selves

8.3. Story-telling and physical and psychological health

Chapter nine: Recovery

9.1. Adaptation and acceptance

9.2. Redemption narratives

9.3. Agency lost and regained

Chapter ten: Benefits and costs of illness

10.1. Emotional benefits and costs

10.2. Cognitive benefits and costs

10.3. Adaptive advantages

Conclusion

References