Question

Aristotle’s concept of eudaimonia (trans. as “happiness” but lit. “good spirit”) is best understood as ______.

Answer 1

Eudaimonia is best understood as the ethical term for the highest human good. Aristotle takes virtue to be the most important component in eudaimonia and combines it with the achievement of external goods such as health, wealth, and beauty, in defining the boundary of an ideal happy life state. For him, a highest state of welfare can be attained by practice of ethics and three forms of living- (1) life of pleasure, (2) a life of political activity and (3) a philosophical life.