the journey to flourishing
What does seeking eudaimonia mean?
For me, the eudaimonistic doctrine of Epicurius is persuasive. The idea is that the aim of life is the body’s health and the soul’s tranquillity (ataraxia) and that therefore pleasure (the absence of bodily pain and mental distress) is the beginning and end of the blessed life. Human flourishing then, depends on pleasure.
Epicurian pleasure isn’t out-and-out hedonism though. The privileging of ataraxia means that the Epicurian will seek simple pleasures (that promote the absence of bodily pain and mental distress). Depending on what you ‘count’ as pain and distress (for example, is being a bit hungry, pain? or just really really hungry?) I generally think that a wider palate of pleasures than those that are strictly Epicurian are necessary to really achieve the body’s health and the soul’s tranquility and thus human flourishing.
This blog is a place to mull over the big and the little questions to do with the seeking of eudaimonia. What is the key to pleasure? What is happiness? What is love? Can there be a positive purpose to conflict or pain? Must we seek to shape society to reflect or enhance certain values or activities? What does a good friendship look like? Should you call your mum on Sunday afternoons? Do you really need to get out of bed everyday?
