علم سعادت (Euthenics)

Euthenics is “a science dealing with the improvement of human well-being by altering its  living conditions[1,2].” Although it has nothing to do with genetics, the term might be confused with eugenics.

While eugenics is concerned with manipulation of genetic inheritance to improve the physical and mental abilities of the human race[3], euthenics is just concerned with external factors which have major impacts on the living condition of a person, including education, health care, sanitation, etc[1].

The term, derived from the Greek verb “EUTHEIN”: “to thrive”, “to flourish”[2], first received attention in the first decade of the 20^th century when some scientists, like Ellen Swallow Richards who played a pioneering role in introducing this science, used it in their publications.

Ellen Swallow Richards (1842–1911), the first woman to enter MIT and the first American lady  to obtain a degree in chemistry, was interested in applying scientific principles to domestic situations, such as nutrition, sanitation, clothing, physical fitness, etc. She wrote several books on those topics, two of which are The Cost of Shelter (1905) and Euthenics, the Science of Controllable Environment (1910); the former is among the first books to discuss the term euthenics, with the meaning "the science of better living"[1,4].

To sum up, “EUTHENISTS”, “who are specialized in euthenics[2]”, try to find the ways to make the world a better place to live through changing environment, fighting contagious diseases, improving education, etc.

Sources:

1)Wikipedia.org

2)Merriam Webster Online

3)Dictionary Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English

4)Richardson, Barbara (2002). "Ellen Swallow Richards: 'Humanistic Ecologist,' 'Applied Sociologist,' and the Founding of Sociology". American Sociologist 33 (3): 21 – 58.