ABSTRACT
Happiness is but a state of mind; a mood. So simple. So many secrets – secret no longer. In this chapter, the author begins with the moral philosophy called Utilitarianism, as that is the foundation for Layard's happiness agenda. Although Layard is an economist, his primary agenda is a moral agenda: the enhancement of the happiness of the nation. His secondary agenda is a psychological agenda: cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) is the psychological means of achieving the moral end of happiness. In a nutshell, Utilitarianism is the principle of 'the greatest good for the greatest number'. The introduction of numbers means that ethical predicaments can be reduced to, and solved by arithmetic calculation. We can see why this sort of philosophy might be appealing to positivists everywhere, not only economists, but also cognitivists. It goes without saying that anything with numbers will be especially appealing to the hyper-rationalists.
