HUMAN FLOURISHING & HUMAN To avoid oversimplification, the principle
CONDITION later expanded to include indirect or
incomplete methods of verification.
However, more complex views on
HUMAN FLOURISHING language suggest that even if individual
sentences cannot be directly verified, they
EUDAIMONIA can still be meaningful when considered
Eudaimonia, meaning "good-spirited," is as part of a broader network of beliefs or
a concept introduced by Aristotle to theories that are connected to experience.
describe the peak of human happiness,
often referred to as human flourishing. In
the Nicomachean Ethics, Aristotle argues CRITICISMS TO THE VERIFIABILITY
that flourishing stems from elements PRINCIPLE
like wisdom, friendship, wealth, and One of the most fundamental criticisms is
power. In Ancient Greek society, these that the verifiability principle itself is not
qualities were believed to lead to verifiable. The principle asserts that a
happiness, allowing individuals to partake statement is meaningful only if it can be
in the greater notion of the Good (Serafica empirically verified. However, the
Duignan, B. et., 2018). statement of the principle cannot be
empirically verified, leading to a
self-refuting position.
Aristotle argues that eudaimonia is
achieved through the practice of virtue
(arete) and living in accordance with THE CRITERION OF FALSIFIABILITY
reason. It is not simply a state of being or Proposed by Sir Karl Popper, he said that
a fleeting feeling of pleasure, but a way of a theory is genuinely scientific only if it
living that fulfills human potential and is can be proven false in principle. He
aligned with one's true nature. Eudaimonia further argued that scientific theories are
involves living a life of moral and never fully confirmed, as disconfirming
intellectual virtue, achieving balance, and evidence is always possible, but they are
fulfilling one's roles in the community. strengthened by the absence of such
evidence in well-designed experiments.
Popper criticized disciplines like astrology,
VERIFICATION & FALSIFICATION metaphysics, Marxism, and
THEORY psychoanalysis for lacking empirical
falsifiability, thus deeming them
VERIFICATION PRINCIPLE non-scientific.
The core idea of logical positivism is that
the meaning of a statement is determined
by how it can be verified. Statements that
cannot be verified, like those in
metaphysics and theology, are considered
meaningless or at least not capable of
being true or false in a meaningful way.
This principle assumes that we
understand what verification involves,
initially linking each thought to specific
experiences.
HUMAN CONDITION
HUMANITY AND SOCIETY “Our behaviour is a function of our
The human condition refers to the key decisions, not our conditions.”
aspects and significant events that – Stephen R. Covey, The 7 Habits of
define human existence, such as birth, Highly Effective People: Powerful Lessons
growth, emotions, desires, conflicts, in Personal Change
and mortality. In literature, the term is
often applied to complex topics like the
meaning of life or ethical issues. “Humanity is lost because people have
abandoned using their conscience as their
compass.
The human condition stems from the – Suzy Kassem, Rise Up and Salute the
presence of what we call 'good and evil.’ Sun: The Writings of Suzy Kasem
We, as humans, are capable of
committing terrible acts like murder, and
torture, and our troubling situation is that
we've never fully understood why. Even in
our daily lives, we often act in ways that
are competitive, aggressive, and selfish,
even though the ideals we strive for are
cooperation,love and selflessness.
CRITIQUES TO HUMAN CONDITION
“It is not the consciousness of men that
determines their being, but, on the
contrary, their social being that determines
their consciousness.”
– Karl Marx, A Contribution to the Critique
of Political Economy
