For an excellent discussion of how the noninstrumental concern of lovers relates to ancient Greek
eudaemonism, see Brink, "Eudaimonism, Love and Friendship, and Political Community."
If
Eudaemonism says happiness, if Utilitarianism and economics say utility, we must interpret these terms in a subjectivistic way as that which acting man aims at because it is desirable in his eyes.
Von Hildebrand objects to a "pure
eudaemonism," which, in giving man's acquired beatitude priority over God Himself, "leads necessarily to a merely self-centered happiness" (143).
We have seen that the main lines of the widespread interpretations have offered a simplified anthropology, restricted the humans to the personal harmony, without context of the environment (
eudaemonism); regarded them as a part of the universe, or as a part of their political community, only.
if
eudaemonism (the principle of happiness) is set up as the basic principle instead of eleutheronomy (the principle of the freedom of internal lawgiving), the result is the euthanasia (easy death) of all morals.