Freedom and Self-Determination
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| Human Well-Being |
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Physical and mental health · Knowledge and understanding · Work and Leisure (Work, Leisure) · Material Well-Being · Freedom and Self-Determination · Interpersonal relationships · Development and Poverty (Development, Poverty) · Inequality · Children |
Introduction
A recent study has underlined freedom and autonomy as top concepts which embody the idea of self-determination. The latter symbolises a sign of psychological and moral well-being of both the individuals and the culture.
Bridging the concept of self-determination and the rational-choice economic theory it is possible to say that, since people compare their options and, after making the comparisons, chose so as to maximise their preference, well-being can be intended as the opportunity of maximising the possibilities for choice as a direct consequence of the maximisation of the number of available options. Given that, self-determination represents the “self-pursuit” of an individual’s preferences. (Schwartz, B., Self-Determination - The Tyranny of Freedom, American Psychologist, January 2000.[1])
A research project in the UK has measured freedoms across many domains for adults in the UK using the capabilities approach to human welfare devised by Amartya Sen, the Nobel Laureate. A reference to this work can be found at Anand P, Hunter G, Carter I, Dowding K, Guala F, van Hees M, 2009, The Development of Capability Indicators, Journal of Human Development and Capabilities, 10 (1), 125-52.
References
Takayuki, M., Human Rights, the Right of Self-Determination and the Right to Freedom, The International Journal of Peace Studies. [2]
Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights. [3]
Self-Determination - Wikipedia. [4]
Freedom - Wikipedia. [5]
