Happiness is probably the most important aspiration of all human beings. It can also be argued that the pursuit of happiness is the most important direct or indirect factor underlying all human behavior. Therefore, it is not surprising that happiness has always been an important topic for both scholars and the public. In particular, from bothreligious and philosophical perspectives, there have been stimulating discussions not only about the determinants of happiness but also about what should be the determinants of happiness! Although there have been numerous studies by scholars from across disciplines to try to identify the key determinants of happiness, the results are often weak and, more
over, inconsistent. For instance, the often weak relationship between income and happiness is likely the foremost paradox in economic literature. According to Rojas (2007), there are different theories to explain this paradox. He summarizes these theories as follows