The purpose of this essay is to read Philebus based on three central themes – The Soul dialectic, the esoteric elements and some ethical problems, as well as to seek a comprehensive interpretation, rather than investigating, analyzing and interpreting individual concepts. Some questions that the essay aims to follow up are: 1) how can the dialogue on desire and rational knowledge highlighting Plato's ideas about the good life? 2) What are Plato’s real messages in the exposition of the good life? 3) Why are ethical questions related to esoteric elements of Plato's dialogues, and in general? The method is a reading between the lines; a hermeneutic interpretation process. Some patterns and contradictions were discovered during the reading, which shows an overall seemingly contradiction between ethics and metaphysics, but which with the the perspective of the dialectics be possible to reconcile. The final interpretation focuses on three concepts from Plato's own ranking of the good; beauty, proportion and truth. Together they constitute the good life in which pain plays an important role. Furthermore, it is possible to reach in Philebus about the good life, and the messages that one should always be true to oneself and to live modestly and always weigh reason to desire and choose wisdom. The ethical problems are both hidden in the shadows and elusive in Plato's dialogues, which can be a result of caution, but also a fear of losing oneself. Plato´s thinking is consistently dialectic, which is in this essay best illustrated by the allegory of the Cave.

Today’s societies are characterised by a host of opportunities and challenges. The pace of life is quicker than ever before, and the changes and developments in societies, science and technology come about faster every day. One of the major challenges for human beings is to make a myriad of choices on a daily basis, which will define their place in society, in life and in the world altogether. To make prudent and sensible decisions is, therefore, one of the key competencies for a successful and good life. This study revisits the idea of an education focused on the personal development and well-being of human beings instead of economic growth. Drawing on philosophical ideas about the good life -- especially Schmid’s art of living concept Lebenskunst -- and recent research in positive psychology, an argument is made for a shift of focus in education and schooling towards a good life and an art of living for today's students. Possible implications of this change of focus for educational practice are discussed, including suggestions for curricula and school subjects, the structure of schools and learning environments, teaching methods, and teacher training. The original contributions to knowledge in this study are: a critique of Schmid's concept from an educational point of view; a comparison of positive psychology research and philosophical concepts of the art of living with a focus on Schmid's work; the development of an educational approach to the art of living, including a discussion of schooling in relation to the art of living; and consequent first steps towards the development of an education for life concept.

In the research field of the cultivation theory focus has shifted from TV in general to studying specific genres instead. It is proposed that there are similarities in otherwise different shows and that these shows give it´s voyeurs a solution to their problems.  The purpose however of this study is to investigate how the myth about the good life is posed in Tv3´s supply.  The theories used in this study are closely linked by their meaning. Narrative talks about the fact that texts, video in this case, contain stories. Ideology is the set of visions and beliefs one person has on the world and myth makes social, historic and cultural decided power orders in to facts. All of these are used with a qualitative semiotic analysis which studies signs in texts, pictures and more. It searches for a deeper meaning in the content and with this method can we see what Tv3 says to its voyeurs.   Through our material Tv3 states that success is in terms of either achieving our dreams or to have so much money that you don’t have to look at the price tag. It´s however the individual's responsibility for both their success and their failure and upon failure the individual should do whatever it takes to fix it, often with help by experts in the field. When it comes to love and the search for the right person, this is part of the good life but it is not the most important part. Although a good life is based on individual responsibility, the individual is so also given directives on how this should be done by the society. An important part of this is society's various power structures and the authorities that constitute them. These authorities, often in the judiciary, represent the good life and the individual’s goal. To get to the top of the hierarchy, the individual must play a game in which tactical moves and strategies are of importance, the game of life.   Our findings propose that all responsibility lies on the individual, even if society is influencing an individual's decision. Success is seen in terms of achieved dreams, money and love. How to reach this is not relevant since all means are permitted, life is a game after all. Society stands for the moral bit and its power structures. But with the help of it, the individual may find its target. It is society that provides the map to the individual, the compass to finding the good life.

Little existing research examines how Vietnamese American individuals conceptualize wellness in relation to the community in which they live. Fewer studies examine the ways in which communities of Vietnamese expatriates form networks of support, based around community resources. Even fewer, if any, focus on these qualities within the context of Boston’s own Little Saigon – Fields Corner. This ethnography analyzes discussions with and observations of individuals living in a predominantly Vietnamese neighborhood in Boston who are a part of a support group for families of children with special needs. Through this analysis, two key themes emerge. First, through the learning of information and sharing of knowledge, this Network’s connections have impacts far beyond the four walls of their bi-weekly meeting space. Second, wellness for the parents in this group is directly tied to existing as a part of a community support network which allows them to successfully navigate three distinct institutions of care for their children – the medical and special education systems, as well as the expression of Vietnamese culture that exists in this neighborhood. I argue that in discussions with members of this support group, it is necessary to focus on channels alternative to biomedical mental health services when confronting the pursuit of a life worth living. This network acts as a site of social change through parental advocacy for their children’s flourishing within various institutions. Parents then act as vectors of consciousness to raise awareness for specific action. Within this context, parents are enabled to fight for their definition of a life worth living and their personal wellbeing.

Lärarrollen brukar först och främst ses som en altruistisk företeelse - läraren bör främst hänge sig åt andras behov. Trots att en sådan syn är tongivande idag är den oerhört problematisk. Denna essä ämnar att bidra till forskning om lärarrollen. Genom att använda Rousseaus idéer om det goda livet såsom de framställs i Emile, argumenterar jag för att lärarrollen ska vara egoistisk istället för främst altruistisk. Detta argument utvecklas genom tre teman: I, Happiness and Suffering; II, Compassion; III, The Egoistic Teacher. I korthet kan de två första teman anses vara förberedande inför det tredje. I det tredje temat, med exempel från litteraturen, konkretiserar jag innebörden av en egoistisk syn på lärarrollen. Genom ett egoistiskt perspektiv ses själva lärarskapet som en förlängning av lärarens själv (ego) i det ämne hen lär ut, till studenterna (inom vissa gränser). Denna syn på lärarrollen möjliggör en annan förståelse för det goda livet i läraryrket. Essän för fram tanken om att lärarens främsta fokus bör vara egoistiskt för att kunna leva ett gott liv.

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Made available in DSpace on 2016-10-13T14:10:24Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Raquel Duarte Hadler.pdf: 17231098 bytes, checksum: 7e9885f9a6ef82a629789e0aa6dda6fd (MD5) Previous issue date: 2015-03-30 / Departing from a reflection on the concept of good life developed by Aristotle, we propose a discussion about the communication possibilities of this concept inside consumption cultures through the analysis of the Slow Food movement narrative. This dissertation was developed inside the research line called Reception Processes and Sociocultural Contexts Articulated to Consumption of PPGCOM-ESPM. Its objective is to analyze how the participation in the Slow Food movement can trigger communication processes of reframing the subject due to the daily articulation of consumption practices and interpersonal relations proposed by the movement, as opposed to the ideal of good life, dominant in consumption cultures. For this, we point out as research subject narratives of the Slow Food movement and its participants as a way to communicate an ideal of good life in consumption cultures, which are analyzed through theoretical and methodological framework of critical hermeneutics. / A partir de uma reflexão sobre o conceito de vida boa desenvolvido por Aristóteles, propomos a discussão sobre as possibilidades de comunicação deste conceito nas culturas de consumo, através da análise de narrativas do movimento Slow Food, dentro da linha de pesquisa de Processos de Recepção e Contextos Socioculturais Articulados ao Consumo do PPGCOMESPM. O objetivo desta pesquisa é analisar como a participação no movimento Slow Food pode desencadear processos comunicacionais de ressignificação do sujeito a partir da articulação cotidiana de práticas de consumo e de relações interpessoais propostas pelo movimento, contrapondo-se ao ideal de vida boa dominante nas culturas de consumo. Para isso, apontamos como objeto de pesquisa narrativas do movimento Slow Food e de seus participantes, como forma de comunicar um ideal de vida boa nas culturas do consumo, as quais analisamos através do referencial teórico-metodológico da hermenêutica de profundidade.

The object of this work is mobile dwellers in Germany and Portugal. This lifestyle express itself firstly in the form people create their home. This lifestyle appear as an alternative to the mainstream society. These difference everyday practices are anchored in different perception of what constitutes a good-life and happiness for people. The choice of home place of mobile dwellers is defined by the perception of good life and imagined ways to seek for it too. To understand how they perceive a good life, enables us to understand what they strive for and how do they motivate their lifestyle choices. Research Problem How do mobile dwellers comprehend good life and happiness as an alternative to the dominant norms of the society? Research Tasks 1. To define analytical framework, which could be used for analysis of good-life of mobile dwellers? 2. To compare how the contradiction between ideas of good-life of mobile dwellers and mainstream is experienced and evaluated? 3. To reveal how ethics, morals and ideologies influence their notions of good-life? 4. To reveal how they feel about their lives? Method The empirical data for the work was gathered through 2 months fieldwork in Portugal and Germany. The main methods employed were participant observation and conduction of ethnographic notes, 18 in-depth, semi-structured interviews of approximately 1,5 hour. Snowball method was used to make contacts and move from people to people. Some extra information was gathered in the... [to full text] / Šio darbo objektas yra mobilieji gyventojai Vokietijoje ir Portugalijoje. Šis gyvenimo būdas pirmiausia skleidžiasi per tai, kaip gyventojai kuria savo namus. Jis randasi kaip alternatyva dominuojančiai visuomenei. Šios skirtingos kasdienio gyvenimo praktikos kyla iš skirtingo tų žmonių gero gyvenimo ir laimės supratimo. Pasirinkimas, kaip kurti savo namus, yra tampriai susijęs su gero gyvenimo ir laimės suvokimu ir įsivaizduojamais būdais jo siekti. Atskleidimas to, kaip jie suvokia gerą gyvenimą, leidžia mums suprasti dėl ko jie stengiasi ir kaip motyvuoja savo gyvenimo pasirinkimus. Tyrimo problema Kaip mobilieji gyvetojai supranta gerą gyvenimą ir laimę kaip alternatyvą dominuojančios visuomenės normoms? Tyrimo uždaviniai 1. Nustatyti analitinius rėmus, kuriuos pasitelkiant galima būtų atlikti mobiliųjų gyventojų gero gyvenimo analizę. 2. Nustatyti kaip yra suprantama ir vertinama prieštara tarp gero gyvenimo idėjų tarp mobiliųjų gyventojų ir pagrindinės visuomenės. 3. Atskleisti kaip etika, moralė ir ideologijos veikia gero gyvenimo supratimą. 4. Atskleisti kaip jie vertina savo gyvenimus. Metodai Empiriniai duomenys tyrimui buvo surinkti dievų mėnesių lauko tyrimo metu Vokietijoje ir Portugalijoje. Pagrindiniai naudoti metodai tai dalyvaujamas stebėjimas, lauko užrašų darymas, 18 giluminių pusiau struktūruotų interviu po vidutiniškai 1.5 valandos. Kontaktai lauko tyrimo metu rasdavosi naudojantis sniego gniūžtės principu. Papildomos informacijos buvo ieškoma... [toliau žr. visą tekstą]

Purpose and objective: A good life includes opportunities to practice self-determination, to participate in and contribute to society, to have meaningful relationships, and opportunities for self-development as well as physical, emotional, and financial health and security (Verdugo et al., 2012). People labelled with an intellectual disability (PLWID) have had limited opportunities to experience these good things in life and to share their own perspectives about a good life. The purpose of this study was to learn from PLWID who face significant barriers to communication about what they most value as part of a good life. My research was situated within the sociohistorical context of the province of Ontario. My main research questions were: (1) What is a good life from the perspectives of PLWID who use various forms of augmentative and alternative forms of communication (AAC)? (2) What can we learn from past advocacy efforts? (3) What are the possibilities and limitations of participatory audio/visual methods for enabling PLWID to articulate their vision of a good life? Methods: To explore these research questions, I conducted three separate but related studies. The first study consists of six narratives of intellectual disability advocacy that has taken place in Ontario. A focus group session advised me regarding the choice of narratives to be included in the study. To conduct the second study, I adopted various research methods, including participatory audio/visual methods, inclusive research methods and narrative approaches. I facilitated a series of five workshops for five participants labelled as having an intellectual or developmental disability and facing significant barriers to communication and six supporters living in the Ottawa Region. Combining audio/visual and inclusive methods and drawing from augmentative and alternative communication (AAC), supported decision-making (SDM) and Supported Conversation for Adults with Aphasia (SCA™), participants received assistance to think about a good life. A total of 34 video vignettes communicate participants’ perspectives. Finally, to conduct the third study, I used audio/visual methods to document the participatory process of exploring a good life with participants and their supporters. Results: The results reveal that the desire for assistance to practice autonomy and the desire to contribute to shaping supports and services has been at the heart of intellectual disability advocacy efforts. Further, PLWID value participation and relationships as part of a good life. Participation in arts and sports is especially important as are relationships with family and friends. Results demonstrate that using participatory audio/visual methods combined with strategies drawn from SDM, AAC and SCA™ provide practical assistance to PLWID when thinking about and communicating their visions and ideas of the good. Conclusion and implications: The findings of this research indicate the need to continue exploring methodological approaches that facilitate the participation of PLWID and others who face barriers to communication and cognition in research and beyond. The three studies support a radically individual and relational conceptualization of autonomy and decision-making. As such, they suggest the need to rethink accepted ideas about self-determination, including reasoning and decision-making. Finally, the results support the need for individualized assistance that accommodates each person’s cognitive and communication abilities to enable meaningful participation. They also suggest the need for fundamental systemic changes that begin with practicing equality and forms of radically inclusive democracy in all our relations.

Young adults with autism transitioning from school to adulthood are commonly described as exhibiting poor outcomes. Although there has been research efforts measuring quality of life and life satisfaction in individuals with autism, these conceptualizations of well-being are still predominantly deficit-focused and based on normalizing ideals of the dominant culture. Only by incorporating individuals with autism’s perspectives and involving their meaningful participation in research can we better understand and promote well-being among individuals with autism. The present study aims to explore young adults with autism’s ideas about well-being. I conducted a Photovoice project using a participatory action research approach with 14 young adults with autism in a post-school transition program and their three instructors. Results revealed a broad sense of young adults with autism expressing their differences while having a strong desire to be connected with others. Specifically, three themes depicted young adults’ ideas of well-being in terms of (1) showing their self-expression, understanding, and strengths as well as exhibiting personal growth and learning, (2) having close relationships with their family, friends, and animals, and (3) developing different ways of engagement and connections with the community and environment. The research process itself also supported their experiencing of self-expression and forming connections with other people, which were integral to their well-being. The young adults intended to use the project results to present their personhood in a positive manner and to promote better understanding of autism in society. I drew from critical disability studies to discuss the findings in relation to the academic literature and inform advocacy work at a broader sociocultural level. This study has implications for researchers to conduct research that is ethically appropriate and sensitive to the needs of the autism community. Practitioners working with transition-age youth with autism can also draw upon from this study to reflect on their relationships and engagement with these youth to better support their well-being.