Abstract
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.
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Notes
- 1.
To observe the distribution of happiness around the world visit http://www.mapofhappiness.com and http://www.worldlifeexpectancy.com/world-happiness-map
- 2.
It is fair to acknowledge that the doctrines of Christianity are, of course, more multiple and complex than this summary allows us to present it (Dumont, 1985; Hollis, 1985). For example, Lukes (1973) claimed that it was St. Thomas Aquinas and later Martin Luther, who emphasized humans’ capability for personal autonomy. It was mediaeval Christianity with its substantia individua rationalis which was responsible for carving the fundamentals of the modern Western ideology of individualism (Lukes, 1973) without which personal autonomy could not flourish. But it must be noted: neither of these authors and doctrines linked human autonomy to happiness.
- 3.
See a special issue of the journal Theory & Psychology “Thinking through positive psychology” 2008, Vol. 8(5).
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Chirkov, V.I., Sheldon, K.M., Ryan, R.M. (2011). Introduction: The Struggle for Happiness and Autonomy in Cultural and Personal Contexts: An Overview. In: Chirkov, V., Ryan, R., Sheldon, K. (eds) Human Autonomy in Cross-Cultural Context. Cross-Cultural Advancements in Positive Psychology, vol 1. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-90-481-9667-8_1
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