Enduring happiness: Integrating the hedonic and eudaimonic approaches

In explaining individual happiness, economists have largely emphasized the hedonic, utilitarian, material, and tangible aspects of a person's life. Another important explanation which owes much to Aristotle's thought emphasizes the eudaimonic, the realization of a person's inherent qualities, one's true potential. An interesting and pertinent development is very recent research which draws on both psychology and Buddhist thought in order to understand individual happiness.