Abstract

The emerging problems of health and the environment pose novel threats to liberty. Currently the individualistic models guiding inquiries and attempts to resolve these arising concerns treat them in isolation. By neglecting the relationship between freedom, health and environment, the present individualistic approaches may be leading to a contraction of liberty. The goals of this dissertation are to critique the presently dominant approaches and to explore the possibilities for integrative models capable of helping us understand how freedom, health and environment are interrelated. ;Since it is suggested that we need new models to direct our inquiries into social problems, an analysis of the practice of existential modeling will be made to determine the conditions under which a model should be changed. Next, it is argued that the individualistic model guiding inquiries into the problems of health meets the conditions for change and alternative models should be sought. Ecological models of health promotion have been suggested as an alternative approach, because they are able to integrate health and environmental concerns. This alternative is critically examined. Upon examination it is determined that the field of ecology cannot be justified as a good model and that this approach is likely to undermine the causes of liberty, as it fails to take into account the importance we place on individuals. In light of the inadequacies of individualistic models and the difficulties with ecological models, an alternative approach is proposed that is capable of uniting health and environmental concerns with those of liberty. This model is solidly based in causal theory and is designed to promote democratic social decision procedures. Finally, an integrative model of freedom is created which attempts to model the relationship between freedom, health and environment