scholarly journals Dilemmas for Natural Living Concepts of Zoo Animal Welfare

Animals ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (6) ◽  
pp. 318 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mark James Learmonth
Keyword(s):  
Well Being ◽  
Natural Environments ◽  
Worth Living ◽  
Affective States ◽  
Practical Application ◽  
Life Worth Living ◽  
Ethical Concerns ◽  
Natural Living ◽  
Human Animal ◽  
Captive Animal

This ethical discourse specifically deals with dilemmas encountered within zoological institutions, namely for the concept of natural living, and a new term—wilding. It is agreed by some that zoos are not ethically wrong in principle, but there are currently some contradictions and ethical concerns for zoos in practice. Natural living is a complicated concept, facing multiple criticisms. Not all natural behaviours, nor natural environments, are to the benefit of animals in a captive setting, and practical application of the natural living concept has flaws. Expression of natural behaviours does not necessarily indicate positive well-being of an animal. Herein it is suggested that highly-motivated behaviours may be a better term to properly explain behaviours of more significance to captive animals. Wilding refers to extrapolation of the natural living concept to treating an animal as wild, residing in a wild habitat. This definition is intrinsically problematic, as quite literally by definition, captivity is not a wild nor natural environment. Treating a captive animal exactly the same as a wild counterpart is practically impossible for many species in a few ways. This article discusses complexities of natural living versus natural aesthetics as judged by humans, as well as the possibility of innate preference for naturalness within animals. Zoos nobly strive to keep wild animals as natural and undomesticated as possible. Here it is argued that unintended and unavoidable genetic and epigenetic drift favouring adaptations for life in a captive environment may still occur, despite our best efforts to prevent this from occurring. This article further discusses the blurred lines between natural and unnatural behaviours, and the overlaps with more important highly-motivated behaviours, which may be better predictors of positive affective states in captive animals, and thus, better predictors of positive well-being and welfare. Finally, as we are now in the Anthropocene era, it is suggested that human-animal interactions could actually be considered natural in a way, and notwithstanding, be very important to animals that initiate these interactions, especially for “a life worth living”.

scholarly journals A balanced psychology and a full life

2004 ◽  
Vol 359 (1449) ◽  
pp. 1379-1381 ◽  
Author(s):  
Martin E. P. Seligman ◽  
Acacia C. Parks ◽  
Tracy Steen
Keyword(s):  
Mental Illness ◽  
World War Ii ◽  
Positive Psychology ◽  
Positive Emotion ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Controlled Study ◽  
Worth Living ◽  
World War ◽  
Life Worth Living

Psychology since World War II has been largely devoted to repairing weakness and understanding suffering. Towards that end, we have made considerable gains. We have a classification of mental illness that allows international collaboration, and through this collaboration we have developed effective psychotherapeutic or pharmacological treatments for 14 major mental disorders. However, while building a strong science and practice of treating mental illness, we largely forgot about everyday well–being. Is the absence of mental illness and suffering sufficient to let individuals and communities flourish? Were all disabling conditions to disappear, what would make life worth living? Those committed to a science of positive psychology can draw on the effective research methods developed to understand and treat mental illness. Results from a new randomized, placebo–controlled study demonstrate that people are happier and less depressed three months after completing exercises targeting positive emotion. The ultimate goal of positive psychology is to make people happier by understanding and building positive emotion, gratification and meaning. Towards this end, we must supplement what we know about treating illness and repairing damage with knowledge about nurturing well–being in individuals and communities.

Sumner On Desires and Well-Being

2002 ◽  
Vol 32 (4) ◽  
pp. 475-490 ◽  
Author(s):  
Krister Bykvist
Keyword(s):  
William James ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Worth Living ◽  
Life Worth Living

A person's welfare or well-being concerns what is good for him, what makes his life worth living. It therefore depends crucially on facts about the person and his life. As William James once remarked, whether a life is worth living depends on the liver. How this dependency should be spelled out is a controversial question. Desire theorists, or as I shall call them well-being preferentialists, claim that a person's well-being depends on his desires and preferences.

scholarly journals Positive Psychology, Indian Psychology and Spirituality

2016 ◽  
Vol 7 ◽  
pp. 12-26
Author(s):  
PRIYANKA SHUKLA
Keyword(s):  
Positive Psychology ◽  
Human Life ◽  
Well Being ◽  
The Body ◽  
Spiritual Practices ◽  
Worth Living ◽  
Life Worth Living ◽  
Indian Psychology ◽  
The Rich ◽  
Yoga Meditation

Positive psychology is a relatively new field that examines how ordinary people can become happier and more fulfilled. Positive psychology is a science of positive aspects of human life, such as happiness, well-being and flourishing. Indian psychology is an approach to psychology based on the Indian ethos. Indian Psychology is essentially positive and rooted in the consciousness-based Indian worldview, yoga and a life-affirming spirituality. Human life is a journey of the soul which resides in the human body. Indian psychology highlights the pathway to make this journey easy and the ultimate goal of liberation of the soul (moksha) achievable through yoga, meditation and prayer. Humans are made of the body, mind, intellect, ego and soul and only soul can help to attain ultimate happiness and bliss through spirituality. The present paper is an attempt to explain that both positive psychology and Indian psychology focus on human happiness and their unique strength; and discusses how goals of positive psychology can be achieved through the rich Indian spiritual heritage. Indian psychology and spirituality share a framework that human has enormous potential hidden in its being. Indian scriptures (Vedas, Upanishads, Yoga, Bhagavad Gita) and spiritual practices (Yoga, meditation and prayer) help to discipline the mind to achieve balance, (samyavastha) to overcome the hindrance in the pursuit of happiness and to improve the qualities of different roles we play in our lives. In this way the Indian spiritual practices have important implications for the achievement of goals of Positive Psychology i.e. wisdom and knowledge, courage, humanity, justice and transcendence and makes life worth living.

scholarly journals Positive Psychology and Hope as Means to Recovery from Mental Illness

2016 ◽  
Vol 47 (2) ◽  
pp. 34-42 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jinhee Park ◽  
Roy K. Chen
Keyword(s):  
Mental Illness ◽  
Positive Psychology ◽  
Personal Growth ◽  
Psychiatric Rehabilitation ◽  
Real Life ◽  
Recovery Process ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Worth Living ◽  
Life Worth Living ◽  
Rehabilitation Outcomes

The field of psychiatric rehabilitation has seen a paradigm shift in its perceptions of symptom reduction, recovery, and restoration of personal-growth and -development. Recovery is subjective in nature, as no two individuals achieve identical rehabilitation outcomes; the process is dynamic and influenced by an array of personal and environmental factors, all of which can facilitate a deeply personal, unique progression that changes one's attitudes, values, feelings, goals, skills, and roles. The concept of positive psychology is relevant to the perception from mental illness. Positive psychology seeks to understand what makes life worth living and encourages the use of mental strengths that reside in every human to confront challenges and create meaningful life experiences. Among the constructs of positive psychology, hope is one the most important concerning recovery, as it is directly tied to whether one believes that one's recovery is feasible. Having a sense of hope can enhance one's motivation to engage in the recovery process. The application of positive psychology, especially the concept of hope and recovery-oriented interventions in real-life rehabilitation settings can enormously benefit the well-being of people with mental illness.

Stopping the “Madness”: Positive Psychology and Deconstructing the Illness Ideology and the DSM

2009 ◽  
pp. 60-70
Author(s):  
James E. Maddux
Keyword(s):  
Positive Psychology ◽  
Clinical Psychology ◽  
Interpersonal Skills ◽  
Personal Responsibility ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Worth Living ◽  
Life Worth Living ◽  
Statistical Manual ◽  
Diagnostic And Statistical Manual ◽  
The Social

This chapter describes the traditional view of clinical psychology as a discipline and profession that is steeped in an “illness ideology.” This illness ideology has roots in clinical psychology's early connections with psychiatry and medicine and limits clinical psychology to the study of what is worst and weakest about people rather than what is best and bravest about people. The historical, cultural, and professional causes of this ideology are discussed, with an emphasis on the social construction and deconstruction of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders as the manifestation of the illness ideology that has the greatest detrimental influence on clinical psychology. The chapter also proposes that the illness ideology be replaced with a positive psychology ideology that emphasizes well-being, satisfaction, happiness, interpersonal skills, perseverance, talent, wisdom, personal responsibility, and what makes life worth living.

Stopping the “Madness”

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
James E. Maddux
Keyword(s):  
Clinical Psychology ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Worth Living ◽  
Life Worth Living ◽  
Statistical Manual ◽  
Diagnostic Categories ◽  
Diagnostic And Statistical Manual ◽  
Dsm 5 ◽  
Problems In Living ◽  
The Social

This chapter describes the traditional view of clinical psychology as a discipline and profession steeped in an “illness ideology” that has roots in clinical psychology’s early connections with psychiatry and medicine and limits clinical psychology to the study of what is worst and weakest about people rather than what is best and bravest about people. The historical, cultural, and professional causes of this ideology are discussed, emphasizing on the social construction and deconstruction of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) as the manifestation of the illness ideology that has the greatest detrimental influence on clinical psychology. The chapter also proposes that the illness ideology be replaced with a positive psychology ideology that emphasizes well-being, life satisfaction, and what makes life worth living. Updates include discussions of the new DSM-5 and additional research on the problems with using diagnostic categories as a framework for understanding problems in living.

scholarly journals “Is Life Worth Living?”: The Role of Masculinity in the Way Men Aged Over 80 Talk About Living, Dying, and Suicide

2020 ◽  
Vol 14 (5) ◽  
pp. 155798832096654
Author(s):  
Kylie King ◽  
Briony Dow ◽  
Louise Keogh ◽  
Peter Feldman ◽  
Allison Milner ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Suicide Prevention ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Older Men ◽  
Decision Makers ◽  
Residential Aged Care ◽  
Worth Living ◽  
Life Worth Living ◽  
Masculine Norms ◽  
The Impact

Men aged 85 years and over have the highest rate of suicide of any age or gender group in Australia. However, little is known about their trajectory toward suicide. The objective of this study was to understand the role of masculine norms and other life factors in the suicidality of older men. Thirty-three men aged 80 years or more took part in a semistructured focus group or interview, and/or completed a survey. Participants were asked about the issues facing older men, well-being and aging, physical health challenges, social support, mental health and help-seeking, and suicide and suicide prevention. Five themes emerged: “finding out we’re not invincible,” “active and tough,” “strong silent types,” “decision makers,” and “right to die.” Participants spoke about masculine norms that had influenced their lives as providers and decision makers, and now influenced how they coped with aging and their journey toward death. For some participants, suicide was seen to be a rational alternative to dependence in their final years. Suicide prevention should adopt a gendered approach and be cognizant of the influence of gender roles and masculinity in older men’s lives. Further research and prevention efforts should be mindful of the impact of masculine norms of self-reliance and control on an older man’s decision to end his life. Suicide prevention efforts should work to reduce stigma around the challenges of aging, maximize opportunities for control, facilitate social connection, and improve residential aged care.

scholarly journals Evidence-Based Landscape Architecture for Human Health and Well-Being

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (4) ◽  
pp. 1360 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert D. Brown ◽  
Robert C. Corry
Keyword(s):  
Human Health ◽  
Architectural Design ◽  
Landscape Architecture ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Evidence Based ◽  
Natural Environments ◽  
The People ◽  
Outdoor Environments ◽  
The Usa ◽  
Health And Well Being

More than 80% of the people in the USA and Canada live in cities. Urban development replaces natural environments with built environments resulting in limited access to outdoor environments which are critical to human health and well-being. In addition, many urban open spaces are unused because of poor design. This paper describes case studies where traditional landscape architectural design approaches would have compromised design success, while evidence-based landscape architecture (EBLA) resulted in a successful product. Examples range from school-yard design that provides safe levels of solar radiation for children, to neighborhood parks and sidewalks that encourage people to walk and enjoy nearby nature. Common characteristics for integrating EBLA into private, public, and academic landscape architecture practice are outlined along with a discussion of some of the opportunities and barriers to implementation.

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