Human physiology is a science through which the mechanical, biochemical, and physical functions are taken care of. The organs and systems of the human body are the prime sources of study in the field. The collection of interacting systems of a human body such as the nervous system, the musculoskeletal system, the circulatory system, the respiratory system, the gastrointestinal system, the integumentary system, the urinary system, the reproductive system, the immune system, and the endocrine system are all included in the study of physiology.
Physiology has been defined and studied for thousands of years under the clout of philosophy. The Indian yogic definitions have drilled the mind, body, and spirit to reach a decisive conclusion. At times, Rosicrucianism and Scientology have also been determined as the essence of human psychology. The quality of human life has also been linked to physiology. Thoughts, actions, perceptions, and observations of a human mind are directly proportional to human physiology and this, in turn, decides whether an individual is capable of performing or leading a comfortable or stressful life (Nicholas; Lee& Feliciter, 2009).
Happiness has often been considered as a symbolic representation of the sound quality of human life. Human physiology clearly states that happiness is a state of mind through which an individual has the ability to decide and lead either a happy or a saddened existence. While physiology is synonymous with happiness which in turn is directly proportional to its well-being, flourishing, welfare and eudemonia, the question still remains whether the quality of human life is limited to such parameters or it has a scope for further expansion. While the scope of expansion is vast, we need to first understand that the quality of life is not merely limited to happiness alone. There are two main theories that can be linked to this approach: the Eudemonistic theories of the Aristotelian tradition and the subjectivist accounts. The teleological structure in the eudemonistic theories is well-grounded and it states that a human being achieves happiness by fulfilling the claims of nature. Nature sets a few goals for each individual and upon the satisfactory completion of these goals; a human being attains complete satisfaction. Aristotle’s theory on welfare is based upon the elitist varieties of eudemonism. In fact, almost all major definitions of wellbeing were centered upon the varying forms of eudemonism.
On the other hand, the subjectivist theories of a human mind are directly proportional to the sovereignty of an individual’s will to attain happiness and well-being (Richard Arneson; agent& sovereignty, 1995). Over here, an individual’s priority decides the overall fate of your life. Henceforth, the motivational structure of an individual needs to connect appropriately with the agent’s internalistic institution. Subjectivism allows certain errors such as inconsistency but steers clear of fundamental errors in one’s values. Here, happiness seems to be a paradigm of subjective good (Haybron, Daniel, 2008).
Physiology is directly linked with the quality of human life. While some people enjoy a fruitful existence, through immense peace and tranquility, others are often subjected to intense and hardship, which in turn leads to depressive tendencies. According to a few types of research, it is the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor, which is solely responsible for allowing a human mind to either remain happy or get depressed. The brain often recycles neurotransmitters through the means of the essential enzymes which are helpful in guiding the neurotransmitters back to the neuron (Linden, 2007). The purported inhibition of the selective serotonin has a direct impact on the central nervous system, which alleviates depression and grants a feeling of elevation or happiness. The hypothesis of SSRI needs to be backed with a solid hypothesis (Healy, 2004). It has been stated that an average adult possesses 5 to 10 milligrams of serotonin and almost ninety percent of serotonin content is found in the intestinal tract (Glenmullen, 2004). Besides, the small amount of serotonin released through synaptic gaps is quite impossible to measure. It is only through indirect analysis that we are aware of the budding relationship between the human nervous system and the serotonin chemical.
Depression is therefore directly related to the secretion of serotonin. Whenever an individual experiences depressed mood, loss of appetite, low energy levels, depressed sleep, loss of memory, learning, failure in terms of the basic cardiovascular functions, and hormonal imbalance, he seems to be suffering from depressive tendencies. Symptoms such as sleepwalking, loss of appetite, loss of memory, learning skills, irregular hormones, and slow cardiovascular functions are often directly linked with the functions of serotonin in the human body (Henery, 2008).
On the other hand, serotonin is also said to be related to neurotransmitters and changes in social status. This may lead to feelings of guilt and low self-worth (Price, Solman, Gardner, Gilbert & Rohde, 1994). Animals such as the Varvet monkey, lobsters and crayfish have displayed a direct relationship between the levels of serotonin and social status. In the case of the Varvet monkeys, it has been found that those with a low ranking had lower amounts of serotonin content whereas monkeys with higher ranks had higher contents of serotonin. This correlation was based on the level of submissions received from their community (Murphy, 2005). Serotonin is also linked with aggressive behavior. When crayfish are injected with serotonin, their retreating instincts tend to get delayed which fighting more dominant varieties of crayfish (Edwards, Issa & Herberhoz, 2003). This application is also justified in human behavior. Increased levels of serotonin aid individuals to counter the feeling of lost status. This in turn aids individuals with a lower status to complete with people of higher global stature. Depressed moods and loss of interest in life are undoubtedly related to the loss of social status and should therefore be resolved through the means of the SSRI case study (Kerr& Laura, 2008).
According to the Social Competition Hypothesis, quality of life is not a physiological state but a resultant of the existing social status. Nonetheless, researchers have argued that mood swings pertaining to happiness and depression are directly linked to the physiological setup of a human brain. An individual feel threatened and depressed only when he/she is forced to think in those terms. The biggest critic in the social competition theory arose from the application of the “mismatched application” of depression. According to Diminic (2005), social standing could have been linked to the social standing of an individual had the setting been in a small community, wherein alteration could have triggered changes in the social status, but not in a global scenario (Hirst, William, Echterhoff & Gerald, 2008).
In the research paper, we have tried to compare the relationship between physiology and the quality of human life. While we have discussed the subjectivity approach as well as the eudemonistic theories of the Aristotelian tradition, the conclusion of this topic depends primarily on the application of these theories to the practical life of a human being. We have also discussed SSRI and studied its implications on humans and animals alike besides throwing light on the social standing of an individual. Quality of life is also dependent on the knowledge of the human mind. Three basic questions related to human knowledge include (France, 2008).
- Are human beings aware of their surrounding world?
- Are human beings allowed to have knowledge of the world?
- How much do human beings know about their world?
When these questions are answered in an appropriate manner, researchers can identify the true relationship between physiology and the quality of life of an individual. On the basis of critical physiological theories, an individual learns to make use of the constructivist approach, which in turn is directly proportional to the conceptualization of identity. Whenever an individual manages to ascertain his/her true identity through a psychological analysis of the “self”, his/her quality of life is improved considerably and vice versa (Chung, 2007).
According to various 19th century, liberal optimists such as Carl Marx, the progress of a human mind was directly proportional to inevitability and holism. If the human mind is positive and seeks progress, it is bound to create a healthy atmosphere, which in turn would be laced with an optimistic approach to attain a suitable quality of life (Haggas & carol (2007).