[EQ] Flourishing, feelings, and fitness: An evolutionary perspective on health capability

Flourishing, feelings, and fitness: An evolutionary perspective on health capability

In A. Poiani (Ed.) -Pragmatic Evolution: Practical Applications of Evolutionary theory

Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. (pp. 188-210) -Chisholm, J.S. 2011

James S. Chisholm, Emeritus Professor and Senior Honorary Research Fellow in the Department of Anatomy, Physiology, and Human Biology at the University of

Western Australia. He is currently Visiting Professor of Human Evolutionary Biology at Harvard University.

Available as PDF [12p] at: http://bit.ly/SFs35T

“Flourishing, feelings, and fitness” is in the growing tradition of evolutionary medicine and public health. It shows how evolutionary theory can contribute to “policy good for health” (Sen 2010). Its Epicurean foundation is that knowledge (evolutionary theory, our only scientific theory of life) is good for therapy, that therapy (prevention and intervention aimed at maximizing shortfall equality) is good for health, and that health is good for the Aristotelian goal of flourishing. Then, by emphasizing the difference between fitness as work and fitness as measure, it suggests why we should care about flourishing.

Flourishing organisms are on track for continuing in the evolutionary game. Fitness is the ultimate explanation of what flourishing is good for. We value flourishing because we value fitness. It also feels good. ….”

 

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