Eudaemonists

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A group of philosophers advocating for the pursuit of happiness as the highest good, emphasizing personal well-being and fulfillment
2. Individuals who promote the idea that achieving a happy and flourishing life is central to ethical living and human purpose
3. Theorists who argue that the essence of morality lies in the enhancement of one's own happiness and that of others through virtuous actions

Etymology: "Eudaemonists" is simply the plural of "eudaemonist," so its story is the story of the singular form. The noun names an adherent of eudaemonism, the ethical view that happiness, understood as a flourishing life, is the highest good. The root lies in Greek "eudaimonia," built from "eu," meaning "well" or "good," and "daimon," a spirit or guiding power. Literally, the Greek points to having a good spirit or a favourable fortune. The plural form follows the regular English pattern of adding "-s" to a count noun, so each philosopher who holds this view is one "eudaemonist," and a group of them are "eudaemonists." The root word was taken into English as a learned term used by writers discussing ancient ethics, and the sense of the Greek original, a life that has gone well, remains at the heart of the English usage.

Synonyms: philosophers, hedonists