Description
Book SynopsisWhat does it mean to be a flourishing human in a Western liberal democracy in the twenty-first century? In Freedom, Progress, and Human Flourishing, Winton Bates aims to provide a better framework for thinking about the relationship between freedom, progress, and human flourishing by expanding on the what is currently available in the economic development, behavioral economics, and psychology literature. Bates explains how freedom, progress, and human flourishing. Bates asserts that freedom enables individuals to flourish in different ways without colliding, fosters progress, allows for a growth of opportunities, and supports personal development by enabling individuals to exercise self-direction. The importance of self-direction is a central theme in the book and Bates explores throughout why wise and well-informed self-direction is integral to flourishing because it helps individuals attain health and longevity, positive human relationships, psychological well-being, and an abilit
Table of Contents
Preface
Acknowledgments
Chapter 1: Introduction
Part I: Freedom
Chapter 2: Why Freedom?
Chapter 3: Evolution of Ideas about Freedom
Part II: Progress
Chapter 4: The Meaning of Progress
Chapter 5: The Drivers of Progress
Chapter 6: Will Progress Continue?
Part III: Human flourishing
Chapter 7: The Challenge of Self-Direction
Chapter 8: Personal Development
Chapter 9: The Evolving Context of Individual Flourishing
Chapter 10: Conclusions
Appendix
References
Index
About the Author
