Eudaimonia: the philosophy of happiness

The Greeks had a secret weapon. They used it to huge advantage and with devastating purpose against their enemies. Called Greek fire, it still remains somewhat of a mystery. What little is known is that it consisted of crude oil mixed with resin. Projected through a hydraulic pipe it set enemy ships instantly ablaze. It was the napalm bomb of its day. It was so uniquely effective that in the 10th century the Byzantine emperor Constantine VII listed it as a state secret. Effective as Greek fire was, it proved ephemeral. Unable to prevent the fall of Constantinople in 1453 it spelled the end of the 1100-year Byzantine Empire. The Greeks had another far more potent weapon however, one that has stood the test of time. It is a weapon of such power that no one who comes under its influence can withstand its force. Designed by Plato and Socrates and then Aristotle it was perfected by the Hellenistic philosophers of Greece during the 3rd century BC. Its name was Eudaimonia. The article explores the enduring significance of the Greek philosophy of eudaimonia (the philoosophy of happiness) in the contemporary world.