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Eudaemonia & Hedonism
Hello everyone,
I stumbled upon the concept of Eudaimonia recently. As per wikipedia:
Eudaimonia (Greek: εὐδαιμονία [eu̯dai̯moníaː]; sometimes anglicized as eudaemonia or eudemonia, /juːdɪˈmoʊniə/) is a Greek word literally translating to the state or condition of 'good spirit', and which is commonly translated as 'happiness' or 'welfare'.
In the works of Aristotle, eudaimonia was the term for the highest human good in older Greek tradition. It is the aim of practical philosophy-prudence, including ethics and political philosophy, to consider and experience what this state really is, and how it can be achieved. It is thus a central concept in Aristotelian ethics and subsequent Hellenistic philosophy, along with the terms aretē (most often translated as 'virtue' or 'excellence') and phronesis ('practical or ethical wisdom').[1]
In short, Eudaimonia is a state of inner well-being. In my understanding it is attained through introspection and virtuous behaviour. It is concerned with the pleasure from within (the "joy of being", etc.)
In my understanding it is in opposition with Hedonism, which is more about deriving pleasure from outside sources.
Hedonism refers to a family of theories, all of which have in common that pleasure plays a central role in them. Psychological or motivational hedonism claims that human behavior is determined by desires to increase pleasure and to decrease pain.[1][2] Normative or ethical hedonism, on the other hand, is not about how we actually act but how we ought to act: we should pursue pleasure and avoid pain.[2] Axiological hedonism, which is sometimes treated as a part of ethical hedonism, is the thesis that only pleasure has intrinsic value.[1][3][4] Applied to well-being or what is good for someone, it is the thesis that pleasure and suffering are the only components of well-being.[5] These technical definitions of hedonism within philosophy, which are usually seen as respectable schools of thought, have to be distinguished from how the term is used in everyday language, sometimes referred to as "folk hedonism". In this sense, it has a negative connotation, linked to the egoistic pursuit of short-term gratification by indulging in sensory pleasures without regard for the consequences.[2][6]
This thread is not about going into an accurate depiction of the philosophical concepts as my knowledge is limited in this domain.
It's more about the practical applications of it.
What is often talked about in greek philosophy and in our societies is people who excessively derive pleasure from consuming. For instance, the person always thinking about buying a new electronic toy, new clothes, new car, etc. Or going to the restaurant all the time, drinking every night, taking drugs everyday, etc. That could even be socialising, anything external.
My new understanding is that such a person (and I can have periods like that) is trying to derive pleasure from his/her life. If the person is lacking Eudaimonia, the only other way to get the desired pleasure is from outside sources. This leads to this impression we have when we describe such behaviour: always seeking more, more, more, like it's never enough.
I'll make myself clear: I'm not bashing on anyone, not looking down on anyone, I'm talking about the behaviour. Also, I'm talking about the excessive quest for external pleasures.
What is excessive?
I think it's for each individual to find out for him/herself. In my opinion, if the pleasurable behaviour in the short term is actually depriving you of future pleasure or is causing suffering, it is worth examining. Of course, in this category, we find all addictions (which are neurologically based on the reward system of the brain). There are nuances here and no hard truth of course. We are in the realm of the subjective here.
What is the practical application?
Well, one cannot detach him/herself from seeking excessive external pleasure if one has not cultivated the inner self or "inner garden" if you want. If you feel good about yourself then you don't need as much external things to feel good. That "feeling good" can entail many things: having a purpose, loving one's life, loving oneself, etc. Feelings that derive from within when one is alone for instance.
Therefore, to be able to detach more (not entirely of course) from external things, one must do some kind of inner work I think. Then, the things we enjoy externally add to the pleasure we already feel internally. They're not there to replace the lack of "natural" internal pleasure (what I would call the "joy of being").
That is the concept I wanted to share with you. In a way, it is a philosophical explanation about the importance of self-development.
Cheers!
A video about Eudaimonia
