Artistotle’s eudaemonia

Greek philosophers defined the state of being and happiness in several ways.

  • hedonism: the pursuit of sensual pleasure
  • tragedy: happiness as a goal, a destination that made the suffering journey worthwhile

In his Nicomachean Ethics, Aristotle proposed a third way:

  • eudaemonic happiness: happiness that was not merely a feeling or a golden promise, but a practice. It’s living in a way that fulfills our purpose. Flourishing.