Capabilities and Happiness

Few would dispute that the well-being of individuals is one of the most desirable aims of human actions. However, approaches on how to define, measure, evaluate, and promote well-being differ widely. The conventional economic approach takes income as the most important indicator for well-being. However, this approach to well-being has been questioned for being seriously limited and other approaches have arisen.The Capability Approach and the Happiness Approach to well-being both provide an alternative. Both approaches come from different traditions and have developed independently, but nevertheless aim to overcome the rigid boundaries of the conventional economic approach to well-being. This book provides the reader with contributions from leading names associated with both approaches, as well as contributions which evaluate the approaches and contrast one with the other.