66 Danish Scien i ic Jou nal No100, 2025
QUALITY OF LIFE, HAPPINESS, AND HUMAN PROGRESS
Qamile Caca
Doc o an , Facul y o Social Sciences, Depa men o Philosophy, Uni e si y o Ti ana
h ps://doi.o g/10.5281/zenodo.17249792
Abs ac
This pape explo es he mul i ace ed concep o happiness wi hin he con ex o mode n socie y, dis inguish-
ing be ween hedonic happiness, cha ac e ized by lee ing pleasu es, and eudaimonic happiness, which e e s o a
deepe sense o well-being and pu pose ul li ing as concep ualized by A is o le. I emphasizes he in insic alue
o a en ion and ime as ounda ional esou ces in achie ing a good li e. The s udy highligh s he psychological
challenges ha he human b ain p esen s in he pu sui o con inuous pleasu e and examines happiness h ough
economic, social, psychological, and heal h- ela ed dimensions.
D awing upon empi ical e idence, including indings om he Ha a d S udy o Adul De elopmen , he
pape a gues ha meaning ul in e pe sonal ela ionships and he quali y o social connec ions a e c i ical p edic o s
o well-being and longe i y. I u he discusses he pa adoxical ole o money as bo h a necessa y means o
ul illing basic needs and desi es and a sou ce o inequali y and dissa is ac ion, he eby complica ing he pu sui
o happiness in con empo a y cul u es.
The analysis also conside s he biological basis o happiness, acknowledging he ole o neu ochemis y and
i s implica ions o po en ial u u e manipula ion, while cau ioning agains he e hical and social isks in ol ed.
Fu he mo e, he pape posi s ha ue p og ess mus encompass no only ma e ial ad ancemen bu also psycho-
logical g ow h, social cohesion, and mo al de elopmen , all o which con ibu e o sus ainable human lou ishing.
Ul ima ely, happiness is po ayed no as a ixed des ina ion o me e accumula ion o pleasu es bu as a dy-
namic p ocess in ol ing p esen -momen awa eness, adap a ion, and he cul i a ion o meaning ul pu pose. This
p ocess-o ien ed unde s anding o happiness aligns wi h a b oade de ini ion o p og ess, whe e echnological
inno a ion and social de elopmen os e imp o ed quali y o li e wi hou losing sigh o he essen ial human need
o connec ion, meaning, and well-being.
Keywo ds: Happiness, Well-being, Sus ainable p og ess, Social cohesion
Quali y o Li e, Happiness, and Human P o-
g ess
Al hough in he 21s cen u y hunge , wa s, and ep-
idemic diseases a e diminishing, humani y is expe i-
encing peace and abundance, li e expec ancy and well-
being a e on he ise—a e hese ac o s su icien o
make humans uly happy?
O en, success in li e is measu ed by s a us, in-
come, o achie emen s, ye hese do no necessa ily
b ing las ing happiness. The a ainmen o ul illmen
o desi es does no always make us eel con en o a
long ime, as we emain in sea ch o meaning. Wha do
we do? How a e we?
Epicu us de ined happiness as he highes good.
He emphasized an e hical code ega ding he hings one
should and should no do o guide people owa d hap-
piness
18
. Happiness is o en seen as ela i e, bu wha
conce ns us mo e is he in e sec ion o happiness and
human p og ess.
Yu al Noah Ha a i iden i ies wo pilla s suppo -
ing happiness: one a he psychological le el and he
o he a he biological le el. Psychologically, happiness
depends on expec a ions a he han objec i e condi-
ions, meaning ha a peace ul and p ospe ous li e alone
does no gua an ee sa is ac ion unless eali y mee s ou
expec a ions. Howe e , imp o emen s in condi ions o -
en aise ou expec a ions, and ou achie emen s may
con inue o lea e us equally dissa is ied. This is closely
18
Ha a i, Y. N. (2016). Homo Deus: A b ie his o y o omo -
ow. Ha ill Secke , q 47
19
Ha a i, Y. N. (2016). Homo Deus: A b ie his o y o omo -
ow. Ha ill Secke , q 49
ela ed o p og ess— he way socie ies de elop owa d
an exis en ial po en ial in hei li es and hei con ibu-
ion o socie y.
A he biological le el, ou expec a ions and hap-
piness a e de e mined by ou biochemis y, no by ou
economic, social, o poli ical si ua ion. Acco ding o
Epicu us, we a e happy when we expe ience pleasu a-
ble sensa ions and a e ee om unpleasan ones
19
.
In he ea ly 21s cen u y, his has become a scien-
i ic doc ine. Acco ding o li e sciences, happiness and
su e ing a e simply shi s in he balance o bodily sen-
sa ions. We ne e eac di ec ly o ex e nal e en s, bu
only o sensa ions wi hin ou bodies. People eel happi-
ness when hey expe ience pleasan sensa ions in hei
minds and bodies
20
. Howe e , we mus also ocus on
wha we ecognize as objec i e eali ies. The ela ion-
ship be ween li ing and happiness is in e wined, chan-
neled h ough he g ow h o human p og ess.
I science is co ec and ou happiness is de e -
mined by ou biochemical sys em, hen he only way o
ensu e las ing pleasu e is o manipula e his sys em.
Simply pu , o inc ease he le el o happiness on Ea h,
we mus manipula e human biochemis y
21
.
Howe e , his poses a i al h ea o he social and
economic o de , which is why we ha e es ablished a
sys em g ounded in ce ain amo al c i e ia wi hin soci-
e y. This sys em a ec s no only he ealm o hough
bu also beha io , mani es ing in economic c imes and
20
Ha a i, Y. N. (2016). Homo Deus: A b ie his o y o omo -
ow. Ha ill Secke , q 50
21
Ha a i, Y. N. (2016). Homo Deus: A b ie his o y o omo -
ow. Ha ill Secke , q 53
Danish Scien i ic Jou nal No100, 2025 67
biochemical c imes. As he pu sui o biochemical hap-
piness accele a es, i will eshape poli ics, socie y, and
he economy, making i inc easingly di icul o con-
ol. Rega dless o he me hod, achie ing happiness
h ough biochemical manipula ion will no be easy; i
equi es a undamen al ans o ma ion o human mod-
els
22
. In he ques o heal h, happiness, and powe , hu-
mans will g adually al e e e y one o hei ai s un il
hey cease o be human
23
.
This phenomenon gene a es un es in he e y p o-
cess o li ing and hinking in he human aspec , because
only h ough he dis up ion o equilib ium do we en-
coun e a ce eb al shu down and b ain a ophy, which
b ing se e e nega i e consequences o socie al de el-
opmen and p og ess.
We cons an ly compa e ou inne sel es wi h he
ex e nal li es o o he s
24
. This makes us ocus solely on
he de iciencies in ou own li es, belie ing ha he
good li e belongs o “ hem” — ou he e — and ha
pe haps we will ne e g asp i because when we each
i , “ hey” mo e u he ahead, li ing an e en be e li e
han ou s. Thus, he good li e always emains beyond
ou each.
F om his pe spec i e, i is easy o belie e ha he
good li e does no uly exis o ha i is only a ainable
by o he s. A e all, ou li es a ely ma ch he image we
ha e c ea ed in ou minds o wha a good li e should
be. The good li e is joyous and challenging, illed wi h
lo e bu also wi h pain. I un olds o e ime as a p o-
cess
25
. Only h ough his p ocess do we come o unde -
s and he impo ance o li ing based on p og ess,
achie emen s, and he desi e o succeed in social and
mo al dimensions.
Fo no one can li e be composed solely o pleasan
momen s o only pain ul ones. E e y indi idual's li e is
complex, illed wi h u moil, pleasu es, obs acles,
g ow h, and se backs — a uni e sal and absolu e u h.
The alue o each o hese elemen s, momen s, o sen-
sa ions expe ienced by a pe son is unique and exis s
only h ough ecogni ion and in e connec edness wi h
one ano he . To g asp his, a simple e lec ion on sen-
sa ions expe ienced in ou li es is su icien . Fo exam-
ple, e e yone has expe ienced a leas once in hei li e
bo h success and ailu e. The alue o each s ems om
he con on a ion wi h he eelings hey e oke. People
s i e o success o wo easons: i s , hey desi e he
emo ion el upon achie ing success; second, hey wan
o a oid he disappoin men and unpleasan sensa ion
o ailu e. This logic applies o all pa s ha comple e
he puzzle o ou li es. This puzzle is comple ed
h ough a p ocess — he p ocess is ou li e i sel . How
22
Ha a i, Y. N. (2016). Homo Deus: A b ie his o y o omo -
ow. Ha ill Secke , q 55
23
Ha a i, Y. N. (2016). Homo Deus: A b ie his o y o omo -
ow. Ha ill Secke , q 63
24
Waldinge , R., & Schulz, M. (2023). The Good Li e: Les-
sons om he wo ld’s longes scien i ic s udy o happiness,
pg 12
25
Waldinge , R., & Schulz, M. (2023). The Good Li e: Les-
sons om he wo ld’s longes scien i ic s udy o happiness,
pg13
26
Waldinge , R., & Schulz, M. (2023). The Good Li e: Les-
sons om he wo ld’s longes scien i ic s udy o happiness,
pg 71
we de elop his p ocess depends pa ly on us, pa ly on
he ci cums ances we ace, he oppo uni ies a ailable,
and he people a ound us (and o he supe s i ious, pe -
haps a e).
How we eel in li e is de e mined only pa ly by
ex e nal e en s and la gely by wha happens wi hin us.
This is no a law in human na u e bu a biological ac .
Ou emo ional well-being canno be in ini ely im-
p o ed, bu he po en ial o con inually enhance i is
a ailable a e e y s age o li e
26
.
When we say we wan o ha e a good li e, we a e
no simply e e ing o an abs ac concep . We wan o
ma e ialize i , o make i as unde s andable and angible
as possible. Fo his concep o become conc e e, we
ce ainly need some componen s pe cep ible by he
senses, such as physical heal h, longe i y, and well-be-
ing — which hemsel es encompass imp ecise con-
cep s like happiness, sa is ac ion, and inne peace, all
linked o human p og ess i sel .
A pe son’s happiness is in luenced by an immense
ange o ac o s. The delica e balance o economic, so-
cial, psychological, and heal h ac o s is complex and
cons an ly e ol ing
27
.
In mode n socie y, i is o en said ha money is he
ounda ion o a good li e. A he same ime, i is also
asse ed ha money canno buy happiness. People e-
quen ly ell each o he ha money is no he solu ion;
ne e heless, money emains a cen al objec o desi e
in nea ly e e y cul u e wo ldwide
28
. This c ea es a dis-
sonance be ween wha we wan and wha we e lec .
Al hough money is deeply embedded in he ounda-
ions o mode n socie ies, i is closely linked o achie e-
men s, social s a us, sel -es eem, eelings o eedom
and sel -de e mina ion, he abili y o ca e o one’s am-
ily, and en e ainmen . I is na u al ha we iew money
as he p ima y means h ough which we in e ac wi h
he wo ld and pu sue many o li e’s goals
29
.
Howe e , money ans o ms om a ool o ul-
illing needs and pleasu es in o a sou ce o inequali y
when we compa e ou sel es o o he s. The g ea e he
inequali y be ween us, he s onge ou dissa is ac ion
and unhappiness become. Ma e ial weal h is o en seen
as economic p og ess, bu in eali y, i cons i u es a e-
g ession o con empo a y socie y.
The Ha a d S udy o Adul De elopmen , which
began in 1938, e ealed ha good ela ionships a e a
decisi e ac o in sus aining physical heal h, men al
well-being, and longe i y. Heal hy ela ionships keep
us heal hie and happie
30
.
F om ano he pe spec i e, human p og ess is
closely linked o ela ionships wi h o he s. Ha ing
27
Waldinge , R., & Schulz, M. (2023). The Good Li e: Les-
sons om he wo ld’s longes scien i ic s udy o happiness,
pg 34
28
Waldinge , R., & Schulz, M. (2023). The Good Li e: Les-
sons om he wo ld’s longes scien i ic s udy o happiness,
pg 59
29
Waldinge , R., & Schulz, M. (2023). The Good Li e: Les-
sons om he wo ld’s longes scien i ic s udy o happiness,
pg 61
30
Waldinge , R., & Schulz, M. (2023). The Good Li e: Les-
sons om he wo ld’s longes scien i ic s udy o happiness,
pg 23
68 Danish Scien i ic Jou nal No100, 2025
someone close wi h whom we can sha e ou deepes
ulne abili ies can be he di e ence be ween despai
and well-being. In o he wo ds, hose who a e able o
cope wi h li e’s challenges, daily s esses, and ine i a-
ble pain bene i om well-being and sa is ac ion
h ough hese ela ionships.
Loneliness is no solely abou physical sepa a ion
om o he s. The quali y o ela ionships ma e s mos ;
li ing among wa m ela ionships p o ec s bo h mind
and body
31
.
Fo human beings, he need o o he s is as i al as
mee ing basic needs such as ood, clo hing, and shel e .
Humans coope a e wi h one ano he because, by na u e,
hey a e social c ea u es who equi e lo e, connec ion,
p o ec ion, secu i y, and a sense o belonging. In e ac-
ion wi h o he s imp o es men al heal h and inc eases
happiness, e en i his is no always o e ly appa en .
The e o e, good ela ionships a e essen ial o human
well-being.
One key conclusion om he Ha a d S udy was
ha he equency and quali y o ou social con ac s a e
he wo p ima y p edic o s o happiness.
Rela ionships o m he ounda ion o ou li es, in-
sepa able om e e y hing we do and e e y hing we
a e. They a e ends in hemsel es
32
. Rela ionships a e
he means ha help us imp o e ou li es and build
hings ha will ou las us
33
. Th ough c ea ing ela ion-
ships, we c ea e a heal hy socie y.
Being awa e ha , as mo al beings, ou ime is lim-
i ed, ou ela ionships become e en mo e c ucial o
a oiding chaos and loneliness, ensu ing su i al, and
en iching he o e all colo o ou li es. Happiness, No
a Des ina ion bu a P ocess. Happiness is nei he a
des ina ion no a angible possession. A is o le used he
e m eudaimonia o e e o a deep s a e o well-being,
in which a pe son eels ha hei li e has meaning and
pu pose. In con as , hedonia ela es o lee ing happi-
ness de i ed om a ious pleasu es. Simply pu , he-
donic happiness is wha we mean when we say we’ e
ha ing a good ime, whe eas eudaimonic happiness is
wha we mean when we say li e is going well
34
.
Bu how do we achie e his good li e? Wha mus
we do? The e a e se e al easons why people ind i
di icul o be ully conscious o pleasu e and happiness
as hey expe ience hem. Fi s , al hough li ing well
may be a majo conce n o many indi iduals, i is no
he p ima y conce n in mos mode n socie ies. Today’s
li e is a dense cloud o social, poli ical, and cul u al p i-
o i ies, many o which ha e li le o do wi h imp o ing
people’s li es. Second, ou b ains o en decei e us in
ou pu sui o con inuous pleasu e. While we may be
capable o ema kable in en ions, we o en do no
know wha is uly good and impo an o us. Time and
31
Waldinge , R., & Schulz, M. (2023). The Good Li e: Les-
sons om he wo ld’s longes scien i ic s udy o happiness,
pg 38
32
Waldinge , R., & Schulz, M. (2023). The Good Li e: Les-
sons om he wo ld’s longes scien i ic s udy o happiness,
pg 73
33
Waldinge , R., & Schulz, M. (2023). The Good Li e: Les-
sons om he wo ld’s longes scien i ic s udy o happiness,
pg 103
a en ion canno be eplaced— hey a e ou li e
35
. When
we gi e ou ime and a en ion, we a e gi ing li e i sel .
A en ion is he mos undamen al o m o lo e. By gi -
ing a en ion, we gi e li e, and a he same ime, we eel
mo e ali e. Time and a en ion a e he essen ial ma e i-
als o happiness.
The logical low o hough leads us o an analogy
o p og ess, which na u ally e ol es om beha io o
he exp ession o si ua ions h ough wo ds and ac ions.
This p og ession p omp s he na u al ques ion: can hap-
piness be measu ed? Has p og ess made people hap-
pie ?
Happiness is closely ied o well-being and i s
componen s, such as li e, heal h, eedom, and weal h
36
.
Assessmen s o well-being end o co ela e wi h all
ha we conside indica o s o happiness. The ideal
measu emen o happiness would consis o an in eg al
o sum e alua ed h oughou one’s li e, ela ing o he
deg ee and du a ion o happiness expe ienced. Abun-
dan happiness ensu es a be e li e, bu he absence o
wo y and sadness does no achie e he same. This
b ings us o he inal dimension o a good li e: meaning
and pu pose. This quali y, oge he wi h happiness,
o ms pa o A is o le’s ideal o eudaimonia o “ he
good spi i .” Happiness alone is no e e y hing
37
.
People who li e well o happily do no necessa ily
ha e all hei needs and desi es ul illed a all imes.
They li e in he p esen while planning o he u u e;
hey a e heal hy, calm, secu e, ha e su icien income,
good ela ionships, and eel well mos o he ime. The
unc ion o happiness is o s imula e he ins inc o ad-
ap a ion: i we a e dissa is ied, we s i e o ans o m
dissa is ac ion in o sa is ac ion; i happy, we sa o he
momen . The goal o p og ess canno be he in ini e in-
c ease o happiness in hopes ha mo e and mo e people
become inc easingly eupho ic. The e a e ew dissa is-
ac ions ha canno be educed, and no limi o how
meaning ul ou li es can become
38
. This happens when
eason p e ails o e ac ion.
Since p og ess is he pinnacle o a py amid ha
g ows as i s componen s inc ease, happiness makes
people mo e empa he ic, esponsible, and conscious.
In o ma ion echnology also p ese es he quan i y and
quali y o pe sonal ela ionships.
The Millennial gene a ion seems o be doing ai ly
well - happie and men ally heal hie han hei o e -
p o ec i e pa en s
39
. This con ibu es o p og ess, be-
cause he deepening o si ua ions h ough ac ion leads
o de elopmen in hough .
34
Waldinge , R., & Schulz, M. (2023). The Good Li e: Les-
sons om he wo ld’s longes scien i ic s udy o happiness,
pg 33
35
Waldinge , R., & Schulz, M. (2023). The Good Li e: Les-
sons om he wo ld’s longes scien i ic s udy o happiness,
pg 155
36
San os, Lau ie. The Science o Well-Being q 320
37
San os, Lau ie. The Science o Well-Being, q321
38
San os, Lau ie. The Science o Well-Being, q 323
39
San os, Lau ie. The Science o Well-Being, q 340
Danish Scien i ic Jou nal No100, 2025 69
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