Eudaimonia

Eudaimonia, translated to “flourishing”, is the state of ultimate happiness according to Aristotelian ethics. Though, while translated to ‘happiness’ for convenience, this state consists of other objects of moral worth such as virtue. Further, this eudaimonia is not something to be ‘reached’ per se, but rather to be lived - it is an activity or lifestyle of living a life to its fullest. To reach this life, one must follow the path of reason. By using reason, one is able to see that objects of great moral worth such as knowledge, friendship, courage, benevolence, and many more are needed; instead of simple, mere sensual pleasures. However, another important aspect of Aristotelian ethics (from which the concept of eudaimonia has received the greatest attention) is that of the ‘golden mean’. This golden mean dictates that nothing should be taken to the extreme, and even virtues such as knowledge can turn into a vice (i.e. consume too many books and neglect outward life). While the concept is not usually referenced or defended in its ancient form in the modern day, this concept of a plurality of virtues contributing to the ultimate perfection and flourishing of a human has found much support. It is lastly important to note that there are many eudaimonistic views, and, while Aristotle’s virtue ethics is the most popular example, the Stoics also held a similar conception.