Faith in the Algorithm, Part 2: Computational Eudaemonics

Eudaemonics is the study of the nature, causes, and conditions of human well-being. According to the ethical theory of eudaemonia, reaping satisfaction and fulfillment from life is not only a desirable end, but a moral responsibility. However, in modern society, many individuals struggle to meet this responsibility. Computational mechanisms could better enable individuals to achieve eudaemonia by yielding practical real-world systems that embody algorithms that promote human flourishing. This article presents eudaemonic systems as the evolutionary goal of the present day recommender system. [Those who condemn individualism] slur over the chief problems—that of remaking society to serve the growth of a new type of individual. John Dewey, “Individualism Old and New”