Human Flourishing

Abstract

Possibly since humans were first capable of asking the question, certainly since the dawn of history, humans have asked why we are here and what good life consists of. Much of humanity still finds the ultimate answers to meaning and purpose in religion. But in countries across the globe, secular views are widely held. Whether religious or secular, individuals, communities and governments still have to make decisions about what people want from life. We examine what is meant by human flourishing and see what it has to offer for those seeking after truth, meaning and purpose. We argue that the concept of human flourishing provides a valuable framework within which to consider the importance of satisfying people’s yearnings for material goods, successful relationships and the hope that we can achieve and experience things that give us a sense of something greater than ourselves—the transcendent. The transcendent is not discerned only within religion; for many, the arts, nature, wilderness and a consideration of our place in the Universe are all instances of routes towards an appreciation of something beyond. The analysis we offer is of value in considering how humanity should regard developments in new technologies. Advances in artificial intelligence, machine learning and gene technologies are likely radically within a generation or two to affect employment, healthcare, education, communications, transport and many other areas of life. How is humanity to evaluate the potential of such developments and steer them so as to promote human flourishing?