Self-Identity and Human Happiness

Human happiness has been a perennial concern of philosophy. The ancients believed that happiness represents the proper final end for mankind. Classical utilitarians held that it constitutes the only thing good in itself. Even the moral philosophy of the eighteenth century, while emphasizing duty, offered the promise of happiness. This work combines an analysis of the Western philosophical tradition with the insights of Eastern mysticism and modern physics to offer a series of recommendations aimed at achieving the goal of human happiness.