#575 | The Science of Happiness: Can It Be Measured?

What does happiness really mean, and can it be measured? In this episode, we move from Aristotle’s eudaimonia to brain scans, surveys, big data, and what truly lifts our mood. It asks why money only helps so much, why social ties matter, and how trust shapes national well-being. Pleasure versus purpose happiness: Aristotle and flourishingSubjective well-being: life satisfaction, positive and negative emotionsSurveys measure happiness; beware the memory and peak-end ruleExperience sampling measures happiness in the momentFindings: happiest socialising, exercising, flow; least during commuting, illnessMoney boosts happiness, then flattens at higher income...