Toward an Integrated Science of Wellbeing

Book excerpt: "There has always been interest in understanding what constitutes the good life. Starting with early philosophical writings, sustainable wellbeing at multiple scales - from physical and psychological health, through to the societal and environmental - has been a fundamental goal. Much has been written at each of these scales, from the perspectives of psychology, medicine, economics, social science, ecology, and political science. However, their interconnections have received far less attention, even though the identification of these interdependencies is critical to the comprehensive understanding and advancement of wellbeing"--