Eudaimonia is a Greek word which, is often translated as happiness. But when Plato and Aristotle argued over the how to achieve eudaimonia, they were not referring to the attainment of pleasure (and avoidance of pain). Rather, they were discussing how to live a life of meaning, purpose, and physical and mental well-being. Therefore, as others have written, a more complete translation of the word eudiamonia is fulfillment or human flourishing.
Far from being an esoteric discussion between ancient philosophers, I believe the debate and exploration of eudiamonia is one that we all can (and should) engage. I believe we can all begin the exploration by considering the following three questions:
- What does a life of fulfillment and flourishing consist of?
- What characteristics lead to fulfillment and a flourishing life?
- How to do I consistently employ the characteristics that lead to flourishing and fulfillment?
