Key concepts from the article

• Describes what eudemonia and hedonia mean → Why both are important and one shouldn’t distinguish strongly between them
  • The eudemonic (also spelled eudaimonic) is based on the writings of Aristotle, in which he discusses the social, moral, and psychological conditions necessary to live “the good life.” In modern times, researchers have placed many topics under the eudaimonic banner, including meaning, personal growth, social connection, and personal expressiveness
  • The hedonic approach emphasizes that well-being is experienced subjectively by a person. Therefore, understanding happiness must—according to this line of reasoning—attend to a person’s satisfaction and emotional experience.
• The authors make the point that it’s accepted that eudemonic pursuits are better. However, they are amplified when they involve certain hedonic aspects
  • Example - watching an awesome sunset (hedonic) vs watching an awesome sunset with people you love (hedonic + eudemonic, as it can foster social connections)

Points for discussion

• What are the common amplifying aspects, such as social participation?
• Can we look to design our activities in a way that involves traits of both approaches?