title: The pursuit of happiness: The social and scientific origins of Hans Selye's natural philosophy of life.
abstract: In 1956, Hans Selye tentatively suggested that the scientific study of stress could 'help us to formulate a precise program of conduct' and 'teach us the wisdom to live a rich and meaningful life'. Nearly two decades later, Selye expanded this limited vision of social order into a full-blown philosophy of life. InStress without Distress, first published in 1974, he proposed an ethical code of conduct designed to mitigate personal and social problems. Basing his arguments on contemporary understandings of the biological processes involved in stress reactions, Selye referred to this code as 'altruistic egotism'. This article explores the origins and evolution of Selye's 'natural philosophy of life', analysing the links between his theories and adjacent intellectual developments in biology, psychosomatic and psychosocial medicine, cybernetics and socio-biology, and situating his work in the broader cultural framework of modern western societies.
authors.affiliation: University of Exeter, UK.
authors.forename: Mark
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Jackson
keywords: Hans Selye; altruistic egotism; organic analogy; psychosomatic medicine; socio-biology; stress
references.citation: J Psychosom Res. 1967 Aug;11(2):213-8
references.pmid: 6059863
references.citation: Hist Sci. 1992 Jun;30(88 pt 2):137-64
references.pmid: 11623021
references.citation: Science. 1941 Jan 3;93(2401):1-10
references.pmid: 17740598
references.citation: Psychiatr Q. 1977 Summer;49(2):133-52
references.pmid: 329311
references.citation: J Psychosom Res. 1964 Jul;8:35-44
references.pmid: 14179138
references.citation: Science. 1938 Feb 11;87(2250):124-9
references.pmid: 17742996
references.citation: Science. 1977 Apr 8;196(4286):129-36
references.pmid: 847460
references.citation: J Psychosom Res. 1967 Aug;11(2):227-37
references.pmid: 6059865
references.citation: Milbank Mem Fund Q. 1959 Jan;37(1):5-32
references.pmid: 13622264
references.citation: Osiris. 1987;3:165-92
references.pmid: 11621658
references.citation: Hist Sci. 1999 Sep;37 Pt 3(117):249-82
references.pmid: 11623935
references.citation: J Psychosom Res. 1967 Jun;11(1):3-9
references.pmid: 6049028
references.citation: J Psychosom Res. 1967 Aug;11(2):219-25
references.pmid: 6059864
references.citation: J Hist Biol. 1971 Spring;4:63-113
references.pmid: 11609438