Alex Michalos Bücher

This first volume has as its main focus the philosophical foundations of Michalos’ work and describes it in the broad context of the study of logic, the philosophy of social sciences, and a general theory of value. After distinguishing things that have value from the value that things might have, it describes the foundations of a pragmatic theory of value. This theory plays a key role in the author’s research on the quality of life and connects his empirical research to the philosophical tradition of the American pragmatists William James, Ralph Barton Perry, John Dewey and Clarence Irving Lewis. The volume addresses various aspects and issues concerning decision making, including decision procedures used in committees, used for assessing the acceptability of scientific theories and new technologies, procedures for a science court, ethical issues involved in the formation of beliefs, some limitations of classical economists’ alleged postulates of rational preference, and the importanceof analytic guides to decision making. Finally, it describes the organization of the Social Sciences Federation of Canada and a formal accounting system for scientific research.

The journal serves as a powerful tool for self-reflection and growth, chronicling the author's personal experiences and insights. Through candid entries, readers witness the evolution of thoughts and emotions, exploring themes of resilience, identity, and transformation. The narrative invites an intimate connection, encouraging others to embark on their own journeys of self-discovery. With a blend of vulnerability and strength, the author shares lessons learned and the impact of introspection on their life.

The collection showcases five decades of research by Alex C. Michalos aimed at enhancing the quality of life for current and future generations. It chronicles his interdisciplinary exploration across Philosophy, Business Ethics, and Public Policy, emphasizing the evolution of concepts surrounding life satisfaction and happiness since the late 1960s. The volumes highlight a global scholarly network that revisits ancient philosophical inquiries into the good life, while also addressing the multifaceted nature of quality of life, shaped by diverse perspectives.

Founded in 1982 by Alex Michalos and Deborah Poff, the Journal of Business Ethics is the most frequently cited such journal in the world. This anniversary volume reproduces more than 30 of its most referenced articles and assesses its exceptional influence.

The focus of this volume is on the further development of the Quality of Life Theory and the means to measure the concept. The volume summarizes Michalos’ fundamental assumptions about the nature of quality of life or human well-being and explains in detail the two variable theory of the quality of life. It gives an update of the journal Social Indicators Research after forty years, an explanation of the role of community indicators in connecting communities, and a critical review of the much publicized Stiglitz, Sen and Fitoussi report. It deals with the multiple discrepancies theory (MDT), the empirical theory designed to provide the foundation of the pragmatic theory of value. Other concepts discussed in this volume are the stability, sensitivity, and other different features of measures of domain and life satisfaction and happiness, measures of arts-related activities and beliefs, measures of knowledge, attitudes and behaviour concerning sustainable development, and the role of quality of life in sustainable development research. The volume concludes with discussions on connections between social indicators and communities, aspects of community quality of life in Prince George, British Columbia and Jasper, Alberta, and British Columbians’ expectations and attitudes going into the third millennium.

This volume connects aspects of personal health, overall well-being, and education to quality of life. It includes discussions of Galen’s and Harvey’s views of the movement of blood in human bodies, and differences in the research traditions of social indicators research and health-related quality of life research. It examines determinants of health and quality of life in a variety of populations, including the residents of the Bella Coola Valley of British Columbia, aboriginal residential school survivors in Canada, and diabetics versus non-diabetics. It describes relations between health survey and patients’ medical chart reviews, the health and quality of life of older people, and the difference between good health and a good life. Other topics explored are student quality of life, comparisons of the quality of life of students, aboriginal and unemployed people, the impact of education on happiness and well-being, and liberal education. In addition, the volume presents Einstein’s views of ethics and science, and unacknowledged authorship in scholarly publications. The final chapter gives a historical review of quality of life research in Canada over the past fifty years.

This volume bridges social sciences and business ethics, linking these fields to the quality of life. It posits that public policy making is a form of good decision making, as established in the first volume. In developed market economies, where governments rely on taxation funded by responsible corporations, the quality of life is closely tied to effective public policies and business ethics. The text explores ethical and moral dilemmas in market economies from the first century BCE, including the emergence of the business case for ethics, arguments highlighting the neglect of business ethics, and issues relevant to the 1990s and beyond. It discusses the loyal agent’s argument, advertising ethics, the significance of trust, public opinion polling, program evaluation, and critiques the phenomenon of super-capitalism. Additionally, it examines the interplay between efficiency, morality, and rationality in decision making, particularly in public policy. Finally, the volume addresses the relationship between outcomes measurement, performance indicators, and performance-based management in public administration, alongside the taxation of net wealth and financial transactions.