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εudaimonia
“eudaimonia”: eu (good) + demon (God, but also spirit / soul, self)
“eudaimonia” has its roots in Ancient Greece, in the writings of Hesiod and originally meant “having the Demon by your side” ie God. In time, the Demon becomes the spirit. The soul, the self and the personal effort is added to good luck. Nowadays “eudaimonia” is synonymous with the joy of self-realization, a feeling of complete mental satisfaction that comes “from the fulfilment of desires and the success of our goals”.
Eudaimonia does not only have one definition, nor one way to achieve it, but it is always related to the goals, values and meaning that life has for us. This is how the Ancient Greek philosophers described the meaning of eudaimonia in different ways, according to each one’s worldview and time of existence. Heraclitus approached it with actions and character, Thucydides with mental bravery and Socrates with virtuous life and self-knowledge.
For Aristotle, eudaimonia, is enough to give meaning to human life. It is a self-sufficient supreme good which, in addition to knowledge and virtue also needs the help of “goods” since the struggle for its conquest does not last only for a few moments, but for the duration of the whole human life.
“eudaimonia” has its roots in Ancient Greece, in the writings of Hesiod and originally meant “having the Demon by your side” ie God. In time, the Demon becomes the spirit. The soul, the self and the personal effort is added to good luck. Nowadays “eudaimonia” is synonymous with the joy of self-realization, a feeling of complete mental satisfaction that comes “from the fulfilment of desires and the success of our goals”.
Eudaimonia does not only have one definition, nor one way to achieve it, but it is always related to the goals, values and meaning that life has for us. This is how the Ancient Greek philosophers described the meaning of eudaimonia in different ways, according to each one’s worldview and time of existence. Heraclitus approached it with actions and character, Thucydides with mental bravery and Socrates with virtuous life and self-knowledge.
For Aristotle, eudaimonia, is enough to give meaning to human life. It is a self-sufficient supreme good which, in addition to knowledge and virtue also needs the help of “goods” since the struggle for its conquest does not last only for a few moments, but for the duration of the whole human life.