A conceptual framework for the good life

The primary objective of this doctoral thesis is to provide a new concept for the good life. In order to attain this goal, it is necessary first to use an appropriate framework of human needs---which include four main categories: individual, semi-public, public and virtues. Collectively, they are considered to be constitutive to the growth of human and social capital and economic efficiency that supports a well-lived life.; An individual's subjective well-being is a necessary but not a sufficient condition. The reason is that personal happiness also depends on one's capability to choose and act on options which are constrained by external factors---such as economic conditions or social environment. However, those exogenous influences are mostly outside of a person's control. Collectively, individuals could shape them. Consequently, one's aim in life is to maximize happiness subject to one's capability which is a function of human capital, social capital, and economic development (a.k.a. the three stocks of capital). The necessary condition prevails when one confesses to live happily. The second-ordered condition in a constrained happiness optimization is satisfied when the three stocks of capital are sufficiently plentiful in presenting opportunities for one's capability to live a healthy, educated, and productive life. Such a life is considered to be a good one.; In order to achieve the necessary and sufficient conditions for the good life, I synthesize Amartya Sen's and Martha Nussbaum's Aristotle-inspired notion of human advantages and Markos Mamalakis's commodity approach in the analysis of what makes a life go well.