Why happiness studies ought to include qualitative research components
Paul M.W. Hackett, Christopher M. Hayre in Handbook of Ethnography in Healthcare Research, 2020
Eudaimonia is traditionally translated as “happiness” though the alternate translation used in much of contemporary philosophy is “flourishing”. In modern philosophy, many interpretations of – and commentaries on – Aristotle’s eudaimonia have been offered (Annas, 1993; Haybron, 2008; Kraut, 1979; Norton, 1976; Tiberius, 2013). Shared among these is the notion that eudaimonia is a reflection of virtue, excellence, and the development of one’s full potential (Huta & Waterman, 2014). Rooted in these philosophical origins, eudaimonia refers to that which is worth pursuing in life – an objective standard of goodness (Huta & Waterman, 2014). Effectively, the focus of the approach is on peoples’ ability to set sophisticated goals that provide meaning on an individual and societal level.
Perspectives
Alastair V. Campbell in Bioethics, 2017
As I observed earlier, there is a real danger that a brief summary like the one I have just given will fail to do justice to the richness and diversity of the religious traditions described in this section. But perhaps I have conveyed something of the tone of both Hindu and Buddhist ethics. In some respects they are reminiscent of the VE theories described in the previous chapter, since they focus on the development of goodness in the individual within a social setting. However, rather than simply moral development, both these traditions see spiritual development and liberation from both ignorance and desire as the ultimate goal. As byproducts of this (or – perhaps better – as integral to this spiritual development) there come care and compassion for all forms of life, and a cultivation of the self that weeds out selfish desires and attitudes of disrespect, envy or hatred toward others. Thus, the pursuit of virtue is one part of the way to human fulfilment. Yet, in other respects these forms of spirituality are somewhat different from the kind of VE espoused by Aristotle and his modern followers. For Aristotle the goal of eudaimonia was to be reached through the right exercise of our given human nature, a fulfilment in this life. But for Hinduism and Buddhism any particular lifetime and the individual that lives it become of importance only because of the part of the journey – in this life – toward moksha or Nirvana. So one should live one’s earthly life with non-attachment, recognizing that everything is impermanent. All life, be it human or non-human, is one, a single stream, in which our individuality has only relative meaning.
The ethics of veganism
Carlo Alvaro in Raw Veganism, 2020
Aristotle argued that the purpose of human existence is to achieve a state of eudaimonia, which is a difficult term to translate. Generally, eudaimonia is intended as the sort of contentment or satisfaction that is deep, lasting, and worth having. It is the sort of happiness that one experience in hindsight when contemplating life as a whole. It is the sort of happiness that makes one be proud and satisfied with one’s life. The closest approximation is “flourishing.” Think of the analogy of a bud that under ideal circumstances grows into a flower. Naturally Aristotle does not intend flourishing as a metaphor. Aristotle believes that a human being flourishes as a result of leading a good life having fulfilled the purpose and function of human beings. According to Aristotle, all human beings from all walks of life, whether they like it or not, have a function and purpose. The function is to use reason and the purpose is to acquire the virtues in order to flourish. As Philippa Foot puts it: Men and women need to be industrious and tenacious of purpose not only so as to be able to house, clothe and feed themselves, but also to pursue human ends having to do with love and friendship. They need the ability to form family ties, friendships and special relations with neighbors. They also need codes of conduct. And how could they have all these things without virtues such as loyalty, fairness, kindness and in certain circumstances obedience?42In other words, virtue ethics represents a holistic approach to morality because it focuses on a deep understanding of our social lives and existence.
The Perceived Credibility of Complementary and Alternative Medicine: A Survey of Undergraduate and Graduate Students
Published in International Journal of Clinical and Experimental Hypnosis, 2020
Olivia J. Green, Joseph P. Green, Patrick J. Carroll
Gaining evidence that a given approach is helpful does not equate to support as to why that approach was helpful. Explanatory theories for why CAM approaches work also vary widely. As just one example, Sullivan et al. (2018) recently generated an explanatory model of yoga based on “eudaimonic well-being” to explore alternative methodologies to investigate and measure the effectiveness of the therapy. The authors described their model as follows: “Eudaimonia represents a state of human flourishing or sense of well-being that is non-transitory and is often connected to a sense of meaning, purpose, or self-realization (Ostwald, 1962; Keyes & Simoes, 2012)” (p. 6). They argue that eudaimonic well-being is associated with reports of both physiological (e.g., reducing inflammation, enhancing the immune system) and psychological (e.g., lowering feelings of loneliness and improving mental functioning) benefits and is linked to living a longer life (Cole et al., 2015; Fredrickson et al., 2013; Keyes & Simoes, 2012). How would the above definition be operationalized so that the claim could be subjected to scientific inquiry? Further, it is unclear whether the proposed model extends to other CAM approaches. Clearly, it is important to differentiate measurable observations from purely subjective reports and to catalog both physiological and psychological benefits.
Unique associations of eudaimonic and hedonic wellbeing with psychosocial adjustment in breast cancer survivors
Published in Journal of Psychosocial Oncology, 2018
Patricia I. Moreno, Larissa N. Dooley, Julienne E. Bower
Eudaimonic wellbeing is defined as the experience of feelings that accompany personal fulfillment, such as meaning, purpose in life, and mastery.1 Hedonic wellbeing, on the other hand, is defined as the presence of positively valenced feelings that are pleasurable, such as satisfaction with life and positive affective states like happiness.2,3 Eudaimonic and hedonic wellbeing are conceptually distinct and have been shown to represent related, but separate facets of wellbeing in factor analyses.4 Eudaimonic and hedonic wellbeing also demonstrate construct specificity through their differential associations with psychosocial and biological variables when controlling for their shared variance.5,6 Thus, it is possible that eudaimonic wellbeing may be associated with unique facets of psychosocial adjustment in cancer survivors when controlling for its shared variance with hedonic wellbeing.
Uncovering Naturalistic Rewards and their Subjective Value in Forensic Psychiatric Patients
Published in International Journal of Forensic Mental Health, 2018
Johanna C. Glimmerveen, Inti A. Brazil, B. H. (Erik) Bulten, Joseph H. R. Maes
Moreover, the position of the reward items along the effort dimensions appears related to the extent to which the rewards relate to the pursuit of hedonism and eudaimonia (Ryan & Deci, 2001). Hedonism can be described as a state of immediate, momentary pleasure, with an emphasis on physical stimulation, or a state of relaxation, whereas eudaimonia can be reached through personal growth and development. Stated differently, hedonism refers to a state of happiness, whereas eudaimonia can be explained as a higher state of well-being. Waterman (1993) found that eudaimonia was more associated with being challenged and exerting effort, whereas hedonic enjoyment was more related to being relaxed, away from problems, and happy. Our findings are in agreement with this dichotomy. Rewards related to autonomy, quality of social functioning, personal growth, and development, are in both concept maps on the high-effort level. Relaxing activities, substance use, and other stimulating experiences are more situated on the low-effort level.
Related Knowledge Centers
- Happiness
- Virtue
- Phronesis
- Nature
- Hedonism
- Utilitarianism
- Psychology
- Positive Psychology
- Self-Actualization
- Maslow'S Hierarchy of Needs