On capturing the concept of eudaimonia empirically

Question

In recent years, the social sciences have gained traction at painting an empirical picture of ethical concepts that before (albeit not forever) had been treated a-priori. I think of competing theories of fairness as in Fehr/Schmidt (2000), the nature of altruism as in Levine (1998) and in Fehr/Fischbacher (2003) or honesty as in Gächter/Schulz (2016).

I was wondering whether the traditional concept of eudaimonia should be tackled in this way, by what methods and what has been achieved so far.

I can imagine two approaches:

1. An empirical investigation into what the highest good is -- that which is desirable for itself and not for the sake of any other good. That good which all other goods are desirable for its sake.

2. An empirical investigation into what living a life at its best consists in.

Both approaches could, adequately modelled, yield interesting insights into what has appeared to be a rather theoretic or even chimerical concept.

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References:

Fehr, E., & Fischbacher, U. (2003). The nature of human altruism. Nature, 425(6960), 785–791.

Fehr, E. & Schmidt, K.M. (2000). Theories of Fairness and Reciprocity - Evidence and EconomicApplications.

Gächter, S. & Schulz, J. (2016). Intrinsic honesty and the prevalence of rule violations across societies. Nature. 531.

Levine, D.K. (1998). Modeling Altruism and Spitefulness in Experiment, Review of Economic Dynamics, Elsevier for the Society for Economic Dynamics, vol. 1(3), pages 593-622, July.

Answer 1

The concept of eudaimonia has traditionally been studied in philosophy, rather than in the empirical social sciences. It has been seen as a normative concept, that is, a concept that tells us how we should live and what we should value. As such, it is not amenable to empirical investigation in the same way that concepts like fairness or altruism are.

However, that doesn't mean that the concept of eudaimonia cannot be studied empirically at all. It is possible to study how people understand and think about eudaimonia in their daily lives, and how they strive to achieve it. This could involve conducting surveys or interviews to gather people's subjective views on what eudaimonia means to them and how they try to achieve it.

It is also possible to study the psychological and social factors that are associated with eudaimonia. For example, research has shown that people who have strong social connections and support networks are more likely to be happy and fulfilled. This kind of research can help us understand the conditions under which eudaimonia is more likely to be achieved.

Overall, while the concept of eudaimonia is not amenable to the kind of empirical investigation that is common in the social sciences, there are still ways to study it and gain insights into its meaning and importance.

There are many books that discuss the concept of eudaimonia in the context of ancient Greek philosophy, as well as its relevance to modern ethical thought. Some books that might be of interest include:

"The Nicomachean Ethics" by Aristotle. In this book, Aristotle discusses the concept of eudaimonia and its importance for a good life. He argues that eudaimonia is achieved by living a life of virtue and excellence, in accordance with reason.

"Eudaimonia and Well-Being" edited by George W. Harris and David J. T. Smeyers. This book is a collection of essays that discuss the concept of eudaimonia in the context of ancient and modern philosophy. The essays explore the meaning of eudaimonia and its relationship to other concepts, such as happiness, flourishing, and well-being.

"The Pursuit of Happiness: An Introduction to the Philosophy of Well-Being" by D. Justin Coates. In this book, Coates discusses the concept of eudaimonia and its relevance to contemporary debates about well-being and happiness. He examines the different ways in which eudaimonia has been understood and applied in different philosophical traditions.

These are just a few examples of books that discuss the concept of eudaimonia. There are many other books on the subject that you might find interesting and useful.

Answer 2

I was wondering whether the traditional concept of eudaimonia should be tackled in this way, by what methods and what has been achieved so far.

It's arguable that the notion of positivity as conceived in positive psychology is an empirical interpretation of eudaimonia:

Positive psychology is the scientific study of what makes life most worth living, focusing on both individual and societal well-being. It studies "positive subjective experience, positive individual traits, and positive institutions...it aims to improve quality of life."... Positive psychology focuses on eudaimonia, an Ancient Greek term for "the good life" and the concept for reflection on the factors that contribute the most to a well-lived and fulfilling life. Positive psychologists often use the terms subjective well-being and happiness interchangeably.

and later in the article:

Positive psychology is concerned with eudaimonia, a Greek word meaning "good spirit". It is considered an essential element for the pursuit of happiness and a good life.[11] It emphasizes cherishing that which holds the greatest value in life and other such factors that contribute the most to having a good life. While not attempting a strict definition of what makes up a good life, positive psychologists agree that one must be happy, engaged, and meaningful with their experiences. Martin Seligman referred to "the good life" as using your signature strengths every day to produce authentic happiness and abundant gratification

Martin Seligman, a former president of the American Psychological Association says this:

Before World War II, psychology had three missions: curing mental illness, making the lives of all people more fulfilling, and identifying and nurturing high talent. After the war, two events changed the face of psychology [: the creation of the VA and the NIMH both of which provided grants]... But the the downside [of the focus of the VA and NIMH] was that the other two fundamental missions of psychology... were all but forgotten.

He explains how emulating the medical model is good in that it has allowed making "huge strides in the understanding of and therapy for mental illness. At least 10 disorders, previously intractable, have yielded up their secrets and can now be cured or considerably relieved", but that psychology lost focus on making the lives of people more fulfilling. Positive psychology, is the return to using natural science to improve the happiness and welfare of people.

References

The Hope Circuit by Martin Seligman
Positive Psychology: The Scientific and Practical Explorations of Human Strengths by Synder et al.