Social Futuring, Modern and Ancient

Abstract

This article reviews and compares two approaches to the new, holistic, and multidisciplinary concept “Social Futuring,” which are expressed in two indices based on this concept, entitled the “Social Futuring Index” and the “Human Flourishing Index” (HFI). Broadly speaking, the Social Futuring Index is indebted to the broader context of modern social sciences, while the Human Flourishing Index attempts to update the scholastic moral philosophy, which was based primarily on the insights of Aristotle and Augustine, as combined by Thomas Aquinas (hence the HFI was previously called the “AAA Index”). Finally, we present the key elements of both indices and their measurement for individual countries from a comparative perspective.