Human flourishing is a state where people experience positive emotions, positive psychological functioning, and positive social functioning, most of the time, living within an optimal range of human functioning. It is an effort to achieve self-actualization and fulfillment within the context of a larger community of individuals, each with the right to pursue his or her own such efforts. Human flourishing involves the rational use of ones individual human potentialities, including talents, abilities, and virtues in the pursuit of his freely and rationally chosen values and goals.

In the context of science and technology, human flourishing means that science and technology must be treated as part of human life that needs reflective and meditative thinking. They must be examined for their greater impact on humanity as a whole. Technology embodies a specific way of revealing the world, a revealing in which humans take power over reality. Human flourishing is important because it promotes the growth, development, and holistic well-being of individuals and populations. It serves as a moral basis for what it means to be a human being. If we desire individuals’ abilities to flourish, we will be better equipped to analyze and shape health policy and public health.

A flourishing person is living a good, fulfilling life, a life with a sense of purpose. They have the ability to do what they want to do and be who they want to be. They have, and are committed to building, good mental health, physical health, and social health in all areas of their lives and those of their community members. This includes family, work, education, community, politics, economics, and more. Human flourishing is supported at the individual and community levels. At the individual level, we can develop our abilities to flourish by being committed to growing within, and developing.