The Philosophy of Happiness, it’s Not One Thing or the Other

Is there a definitive approach to happiness? Or should you strive for a balance between two theories?

Charles Black M.D.
The Apeiron Blog

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Photo by author (Chuck Black Photography)

Happiness is a topic debated by philosophers for more than two thousand years. Today we can benefit from research telling us how best to combine ancient wisdom to pursue a more satisfactory life.

Two Main Schools of Happiness

Philosophy has formed into two primary schools of thought on happiness. The first is Hedonia, the idea of basing a happy life on perusing pleasure and avoiding pain. The second school is Eudaemonia, which involves pursuing your personal best in the service to a goal more significant than yourself.

Both schools have had their adherents and detractors, but recently science has turned its microscope onto the issue and given us a final answer. So which is it, pursue pleasure or work toward meaningful goals? The answer, it turns out, is yes to both.

The Golden Mean and Happiness

Research shows the best way to enjoy life is by striking a balance of both hedonic and eudaemonic happiness. Blending makes sense in light of another ancient Greek philosopher, Aristotle. He wrote about the Golden Mean

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