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Introduction: Advantages of Using the Concept Art-of-Living

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Art-of-Living

Part of the book series: Social Indicators Research Series ((SINS,volume 63))

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Abstract

In this chapter we start with discussing ways of leading a good life. We refer to Veenhoven’s important discrimination between ways for leading a good life and the results of leading a good life, which are happiness or well-being. Then we discuss different criteria for happiness: subjective well-being, psychological well-being, eudaimonic and hedonic well-being and flourishing. We argue that the kind of criterion at least partially determines the way to happiness. Next we look at ways for leading a good life from different perspectives: Veenhovens classic views, wisdom, self-determination theory, strength and virtues, and Orientation to happiness. In addition, we refer to inventories of behaviours and strategies leading to happiness reported in the literature, among them Fordyce's happiness fundamentals, the happiness increasing strategies and the happiness inducing behaviours. We look at meta-analyses summarizing strategies of positive psychology enhancing happiness. Then we analyze the status quo of the research regarding ways to happiness and draw our conclusions. We present criteria for our own approach of behavior and attitudes leading to happiness: art-of-living. The philosophical background to art-of-living is referred to. Finally we elaborate on our model for art-of-living with its sub-concepts.

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  1. Institute for Psychology, Darmstadt University of Technology, Darmstadt, Germany

    Bernhard Schmitz

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  1. Bernhard Schmitz
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Schmitz, B. (2016). Introduction: Advantages of Using the Concept Art-of-Living. In: Art-of-Living. Social Indicators Research Series, vol 63. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-45324-8_1

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