Conceptualizing Trans Well-being within Transdisciplinarity

Abstract

After describing conventional approaches to well-being (hedonic and eudaimonic, subjective and objective) and explaining the four philosophical axioms of Nicolescuian transdisciplinarity (TD), this conceptual research paper identified and juxtaposed four alternative approaches to well-being against Nicolescuian TD: social conception, self-transcendent, intra-active, and relational well-being. The notion of prototypical (lay) well-being was also introduced. What might well-being look like within transdisciplinarity? Trans well-being (a new term) would be a process that is situated, contextual and emergent. It would always be unfolding and becoming, arising with and through others. Trans well-being would be a state of being with others (and the environment) and might even be a form of epistemic self-discovery (insights into psyche and self). Upon embracing Nicolescuian TD, perceptions of well-being may have to shift from a state of being to a process of being with others in perpetual evolution.