Happiness as a Philosophical Category: Historical Forms and Contemporary Interpretations

33 21

Abstract

The article presents a philosophical analysis of the phenomenon of happiness as a key category for understanding the human being and their lifeworld. It examines the evolution of conceptions of happiness from antiquity to contemporary interdisciplinary approaches, in which happiness acquires a multidimensional character. In ancient philosophy, happiness was understood as eudaimonia, associated with virtue, a rational way of life, and harmony of the soul; in the medieval tradition, as spiritual bliss and closeness to God; and in modern philosophy, as personal autonomy and the pursuit of individual well-being. Hedonistic, Stoic, utilitarian, existential, and humanistic interpretations of happiness are discussed, along with their influence on contemporary notions of subjective well-being and self-actualization. Particular attention is given to the ethical and axiological foundations of happiness, its connection with the meaning of life, values, and human essence. The views of classical and modern thinkers, including Aristotle, Epicurus, the Stoics, S. Freud, A. Maslow, V. Frankl, and W. Tatarkiewicz, are analyzed, making it possible to identify universal and culturally conditioned aspects of the understanding of happiness. It is concluded that contemporary philosophical interpretations of happiness view it not as static pleasure, but as a dynamic process of inner integrity, spiritual harmony, moral self-determination, and personal self-realization within the context of a meaningful existence.