Human Flourishing and Eudaimonia
More Than Happiness
Aristotle's classic work "The Nicomachean Ethics" begins with "Every art and every inquiry, and similarly every action as well as choice, is held to aim at some good" (Aristotle, 2011, p. 1). Then further in Book I, Chapter IV he wrote
... since all knowledge and every choice have some good as the object of their longing—let us state what is that we say is the political art aims at and what the highest of all goods related to action is. As for its name, then, it is pretty much agreed on by most people; for both the many and the refined say it is happiness, and they suppose that living well and acting well. (pp. 4-5)
Aristotle lived and wrote in the Classical Era of the fourth century BCE. His writings have long been the source of great discussion and debate. From 1100-1700 CE his ideas became the academic framework of European universities in the form of Aristotelian Scholasticism. During the English and French Enlightenment in the 17th and 18th centuries Aristotelian Scholasticism came under attack by new sciences and philosophies. However, in the 20th and 21st centuries Aristotle's ideas especially his Ethics and Metaphysics re-emerged to captivate the hearts and minds of many particularly in the Positive Psychology movement.
What did Aristotle mean that "the highest of all goods" is "happiness (eudaimonia)?" Happiness to Aristotle was not a perfect life of red roses and smiles; happiness is a virtue not a fleeting feel good emotion. We all know life is stressful and far from perfect; that bad things happen to good people—God's people; however, eudaimonia can help us do more than survive—eudaimonia can help us thrive. Eudaimonia literally means "having a good daimon" (p. x) and is made of two Greek words "eu" for good and "daimon" for spirit; thus one could translate eudaimonia as "a good spirit."
The pop-culture understanding of happiness is misleading and is based on having a positive affect or outlook on life; however, eudaimonia is better described as human flourishing and is directly related to our character, satisfaction with life and well-being. For a great overview of the human science of flourishing and positive psychology check out this article Dr. Tyler Vanderweele "On the promotion of human flourishing."
Positive Psychology and Human Flourishing
Dr. Martin Seligman, widely regarded as one of the founders of Positive Psychology, articulated the core mission of the field in his influential book Flourish: A Visionary New Understanding of Happiness and Well-being. He wrote, “The topic of positive psychology is well-being, and the gold standard for measuring well-being is flourishing. The goal of positive psychology is to increase flourishing.”
Seligman’s theory of flourishing is built on five foundational pillars, often abbreviated as PERMA:
1. Positive Emotions
2. Engagement
3. Relationships
4. Meaning
5. Achievement
Together, these components form a holistic framework for understanding what it means to live a truly good life—one marked not only by happiness, but by depth, purpose, and well-being.
Check out this website featuring Dr. Seligman: Authentic Happiness
The science of Human Flourishing
The science of human flourishing is rapidly expanding. A notable example is the Global Flourishing Study (GFS)—a five-year longitudinal research initiative co-led by Harvard University’s Human Flourishing Program and Baylor University’s Institute for Studies of Religion. According to Harvard scholar Dr. Tyler VanderWeele, “Flourishing itself might be understood as a state in which all aspects of a person’s life are good.”
The Global Flourishing Study is gathering data from more than 200,000 people across 20+ countries, making it one of the most comprehensive studies of human well-being to date. The research focuses four core pathways: family, work, education and religious/community engagement on six key domains of flourishing:
1. Happiness and life satisfaction
2. Mental and physical health
3. Meaning and purpose
4. Character and virtue
5. Close social relationships
6. Material and financial stability
Key Findings from the Global Flourishing Study
A recent article titled “Measuring the Good Life: New Global Data Shows What Makes for a Flourishing Life—It Isn’t What We Think,” highlighted the first wave of findings.
Higher GDP doesn’t guarantee higher flourishing.
Countries like the U.S. and Japan, despite their wealth, report lower levels of flourishing compared to lower-income nations such as Indonesia and Tanzania.True flourishing goes beyond financial security.
It encompasses purpose, meaningful relationships, character, and mental well-being.Religious participation matters.
People who attend church regularly report higher levels of happiness, meaning, and social connectedness.Young people are struggling.
Compared to older generations, younger adults report lower levels of flourishing—possibly due to the effects of modern technology, social media, and cultural disconnection.Low-income nations excel in meaning and connection.
While wealthier countries score higher in financial well-being and education, less affluent nations often lead in areas like purpose, virtue, and interpersonal relationships.
These findings pose critical questions: Can economic development be pursued without undermining social and spiritual well-being? What role should faith-based organizations play in promoting true flourishing? The study also suggests that secular nations may struggle more with meaning and connection—highlighting the vital role that religious and spiritual communities can play in fostering holistic well-being.
For a more detailed scientific version of the first wave of findings check out the 30 April 2025 article in Nature Mental Health article The Global Flourishing Study: Study Profile and Initial Results on Flourishing.
References
Aristotle. (2011). Aristotle's Nicomachean Ethics. Translated by Robert C. Bartlett and Susan D. Collins, Chicago: The University of Chicago Press.
Case, B., Long K., Vanderweele T., & Johnson, B. 3 May 2025, Christianity Today.
Seligman, M. E. P. (2011). Flourish: A Visionary New Understanding of Happiness and Well-being. New York: Free Press (p. 13).
VanderWeele, T. J. (2017). On the promotion of human flourishing. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 114(31), 8148–8156.
Vanderweele, Tyler, et. al. (2025), The Global Flourishing Study: Study Profile and Initial Results on Flourishing, Open Access Nature Mental Health, 30 April 2025.