Measuring Well-Being: Interdisciplinary Perspectives from the Social Sciences and the Humanities by Matthew T. Lee Laura D. Kubzansky and Tyler J. Vanderweele

Author:Matthew T. Lee, Laura D. Kubzansky, and Tyler J. Vanderweele
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Oxford University Press
Published: 2021-03-15T00:00:00+00:00

Basic Visions of the Human Good

This kind of positive but critical response to some of the specific content in different accounts of well-being reflects a more fundamental question about the basic vision of the human good that informs those accounts. Perhaps I can put the point this way. The previous section was concerned with the contrasts between hedonic and eudaimonic understandings of well-being and with positive and critical theological responses to both. Yet in the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5–7)—historically one of the most influential biblical texts in shaping Christian visions of the good life—one finds a rather different understanding from either.

To be sure, there is common ground. According to Pennington (2017, pp. 41–68), the Sermon sets out a vision of human flourishing with roots in the Aristotelian virtue tradition as well as the wisdom literature of the Hebrew Bible. In the Sermon, the key word used to denote flourishing is makarios (usually, though misleadingly, translated “blessed”), which is close in meaning to eudaimonia. However, the Sermon’s vision of flourishing is strikingly different from an Aristotelian understanding. It opens with a famous statement of what it means to be makarios.

Blessed [makarioi] are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.

Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.

Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy.

Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.

Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.

Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. (Matthew 5:3–10)

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