| Abstrakt: |
In this chapter , the editors Chirkov, Sheldon, and Ryan outline in broad strokes both the history and current controversies concerning the main thesis of the book that in order for people to be fully functioning and happy they need to be autonomous, and that this thesis applies universally to people from different cultures. Starting with the Ancient Greece philosophers, followed by the ideas of Christianity and then by insights of Spinoza and Kant, the authors argue that the ideas of personal autonomy and freedom inevitably emerged as soon as the thinkers started discussing the achievement of earthly happiness and the good life. They extend this analysis to the Confucian teaching in Ancient China as well as to the understanding of people΄s problems in South Asian countries. They conclude, based on these historical and cross-cultural examinations, that the conditions under which people can experience a good life and a sense of wellness remain the same: Individuals need to have and to exercise autonomy. A review of psychological perspectives on a personal autonomy follows, along with a short review of the chapters comprising this volume. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
