eudaimonia

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eudaimonia

Greek philosophy

Also known as: eudaemonia

Written by Brian Duignan

Fact-checked by The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Last Updated: Nov 22, 2024 • Article History

Also spelled:: eudaemonia

Key People:: Aristotle

Related Topics:: happiness; eudaemonism

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eudaimonia, in Aristotelian ethics, the condition of human flourishing or of living well. The conventional English translation of the ancient Greek term, “happiness,” is unfortunate because eudaimonia, as Aristotle and most other ancient philosophers understood it, does not consist of a state of mind or a feeling of pleasure or contentment, as “happiness” (as it is commonly used) implies. For Aristotle, eudaimonia is the highest human good, the only human good that is desirable for its own sake (as an end in itself) rather than for the sake of something else (as a means toward some other end). (Read Peter ...(100 of 671 words)

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