Psychology Happiness

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by Dr. Daniel T. Lewis

Published 07/27/2026

Why does this matter?  Researchers discovered that most individuals seek to attain a state of human flourishing. The successful pursuit of human flourishing meets human needs. 

How can I apply it this week?  You can successfully begin your quest towards the state of human flourishing. 

Greek philosophers described the attainment of human flourishing as εὐδαιμονία (eu̯dai̯monía), or the good life, and modern psychology evaluates human flourishing as sense of purpose, purposeful personal expressiveness, and effortful engagement (Bartels & Boomsma, 2009; Schutte et al., 2013; Waterman et al., 2010; Watanabe, 2020). The philosophical precepts of human flourishing acknowledged the God-given desire in humanity to seek fulfillment (Alcorn; 2015; Brown, 2014; Spurgeon, 1875/1905; Young, 1994). Within the culture of the United States of America, the pursuit of human flourishing holds a vital and foundational status (Moran, 2018 & Quamruzzaman, 2013).

 Research discovered an almost universal participation in the individual quest for human flourishing Hall et al., 2010). When framed from the Biblical perspective, the concept of human flourishing begins with the understanding that God created humanity in his image, imago Dei, to share leadership with God, enjoy dominion over the earth, and fulfill a desire for happiness (Genesis 1:27-28; Alcorn; 2015; Brown, 2014; Spurgeon, 1875/1905; Young, 1994). During the act of creating humanity, God entered a covenant relationship with humanity, but the fall of humanity into sin fundamentally undermined the relationship between God and humanity and the human ability to attain the status of human flourishing (Alcorn, 2015; Kilner, 2010; Robinson, 2018). Experiences such as experiencing pleasure, avoiding displeasure, and discovering satisfaction encompasses the emotional aspects of well-being, known as hedonic well-being (Huta & Ryan, 2010; Turban & Wan, 2016; Watanabe, 2020). In general, individuals seek enjoyable outcomes from life (Marcus, 2000 & Veenhoven, 2017). 

Aristotle (340 B.C./1999) saw a life operating by virtue (ἀρετή, arete) as only human path to eudaimonia. Based on the ideas of Aristole, the philosophy of Western antiquity identified courage, temperance, justice, and wisdom as the four cardinal virtues, and the three spiritual virtues included hope, faith, and unconditional love (Wang & Hackett, 2012). 

In contrast to the predominant Western philosophy that looked to the individual’s abilities to attain the status of human flourishing, the Bible maintained that human flourishing only comes from having a restored relationship with God provided through the redeeming work of Jesus Christ (Alcorn, 2015). Daily human failures and the totality of human depravity continually serve as a reminder that God alone functions as the source of virtue, wisdom, morality, and ethics (Calvin, 1536/2006). 

Aristotle (340 B.C./1999) discussed the pursuit of human flourishing or εὐδαιμονία (eu̯dai̯monía) through a life of virtue (ἀρετή, arete), but he and other Greek philosophers limited the attainment of makarios (μακάριος blessedness) to the gods. In the New Testament, makarios (μακάριος) means receiving divine grace and spiritual well-being that comes directly from God, and it contrasts with temporary happiness that depends on external circumstances. According to the Sermon on the Mount (Recorded in Matthew 5, KJV), human flourishing comes from acknowledging our dearth of emotional or spiritual worth and placing our full hope in the sufficiency of God (Ritzema, 2009). 

References: 

Alcorn, R. (2019). Happiness. Tyndale House Publishers, Inc. 

Aristotle. (340 B.C./1999) Nicomachean Ethics. Hippo Books 

Bartels, M., & Boomsma, D. (2009). Born to be happy? The etiology of subjective well-being, Behav Genet, 39, 605–615

Brown, M. (2014). Imago Dei in Thomas Aquinas. Saint Anselm Journal, 10(1), 1-11.

Calvin, J. (1536/1845). Institutes of the Christian religion. Beveridge, H. (Trans). https://ccel.org/ccel/calvin/institutes/institutes.i.html

Huta, V., & Ryan, R. (2010). Pursuing pleasure or virtue: The differential and overlapping well-being benefits of hedonic and eudaimonic motives. Journal of Happiness Studies, 11(6), 7. 

Marcus, P. (2000). The wisdom of Ecclesiastes and its meaning for psychoanalysis. Psychoanalytic Review, 87(2), 227-250.

Moran, J. (2018). Aristotle on eudaimonia (‘happiness’). Think, 17(48), 91-99.  

Quamruzzaman, A. (2013). The pursuit of happiness: An analysis of aggregate difference in the distribution of happiness in the United States. McGill Sociological Review, 3, 55-72. 

Ritzema, B. (2009). Makarios II. https://bobritzema.wordpress.com/2009/03/10/makarios-ii/

Schutte, L., Wissing, M., & Khumalo, I. (2013). Further validation of the questionnaire for eudaimonic well-being (QEWB). Psychology of Well-Being: Theory, Research and Practice, 3(1), 1-22

Spurgeon, C. (1905, May 11 [published] 1875, January 3 [preached]). Christ's joy and ours. Spurgeon Sermons. https://www.spurgeongems.org/sermon/chs2935.pdf

Turban, D. B., & Wan, Y. (2016). Relationship of eudaimonia and hedonia with work outcomes. Journal of Managerial Psychology, 31(6), 1006-1020. 

Veenhoven, R. (2017). Measures of happiness: Which to choose? In G. Brulé & F. Maggino (Eds.). Metrics of Subjective Well-Being: Limits and Improvements, (65-84).  Springer. 

Wang, G., & Hackett, R. D. (2016). Conceptualization and measurement of virtuous leadership: Doing well by doing good: JBE. Journal of Business Ethics, 137(2), 321-345. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10551-015-2560-1

Waterman, A., Schwartzb, S., Zamboangac, B., Ravertd., R., Williamse, M., Agochae, B., Kimf, S., Donnellang, B. (2010, January). The questionnaire for eudaimonic well-being: Psychometric properties, demographic comparisons, and evidence of validity. The Journal of Positive Psychology, 5(1), 41–61.

Watanabe, K., Imamura, K., Inoue, A., Otsuka, Y., Shimazu, A., Eguchi, H., Adachi, H., Sakuraya, A., Kobayashi, Y., Arima, H., Kawakami, N. (2020, March). 

Measuring eudaimonic well-being at work: A validation study for the 24-item the University of Tokyo Occupational Mental Health (TOMH) well-being scale among Japanese workers. Industrial Health, 58(2), 107–131.

Young, R. A. (1994). Healing the Earth: A theocentric perspective on environmental problems and their solutions. Broadman