Written by Daniel Gilbert, a professor of psychology at Harvard University, Stumbling on Happiness is a book that examines the mental foundations of happiness and the human ability to predict the future with a scientific approach. The book was published in Turkish by Ketebe Publications in 2018 and aims to provide readers with information about the way the brain works, the limits of imagination, and the common misconceptions in predictions about the future. .
Subject of the Book
In his book, Daniel Gilbert analyses the failures of people to predict their future happiness and the reasons for these failures. He investigates ‘how people mispredict happiness and why they are often wrong’. The author explains the flaws of imagination and the fallacies of foresight, supported by various scientific researches and experiments.
Highlights of the Book
- Difficulties in predicting people's future emotional reactions and that these predictions are often misleading.
- The importance of the frontal lobe in planning and future thinking processes and how damage to this region affects the individual's perception of happiness.
- That happiness is a subjective experience and that individuals are often wrong in predicting what will make them happy.
Style of the Book
The book presents scientific information in an understandable language, helping readers to question their own perceptions and expectations of happiness.
Target Audience
The book may be suitable for general readers with an interest in psychology, as well as for readers who want to gain in-depth knowledge about human behaviour, happiness and brain functioning. The book aims to help readers question their own perceptions and expectations of happiness by presenting scientific information in an understandable language.


