The pursuit of happiness

Sir, – A propos Sylvia Thompson’s piece on the pursuit of happiness (Life Science, April 3rd), might I suggest that there is much we can learn from philosophers on that topic.

Having reached something of a crisis in his own life, John Stuart Mill tells us in his Autobiography that the key to finding happiness is to realise that it is a mistake to seek it directly.

To achieve happiness we should rather immerse ourselves in a life that is packed with a diverse range of activities from which we derive satisfaction.

Reflecting on such a life will reveal to us that it is a happy one.

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Yours etc

HARRY McCAULEY,

Maynooth Park,

Maynooth

Co Kildare