Why is it called “negative” feedback if it so positively affects our well-being?

I don't think negative feedback affects us positively.

In physiology, negative feedback negates activating responses to bring body mechanisms back to normal.

Since this is not my area of expertise, I searched Google under the key words "physiology negative feedback" to get these possible sources:

http://www.google.com/search?client=safari&rls=en&q=physiology+negative+feedback&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8

In the future, you can find the information you desire more quickly, if you use appropriate key words to do your own search. Also see http://hanlib.sou.edu/searchtools/.

The term "negative" feedback can be a bit misleading, as it does not necessarily imply something negative or harmful. In the context of well-being and the human body, negative feedback refers to a regulatory mechanism that helps maintain balance or homeostasis. It is called "negative" because it works in opposition to an initial change or stimulus, bringing it back towards the desired set point.

When it comes to our well-being, negative feedback is actually beneficial. It allows our body to detect imbalances and make necessary adjustments to restore equilibrium. For example, when our body temperature rises above the normal range, our brain triggers sweating to cool down the body. This cooling effect is a form of negative feedback that counters the initial rise in temperature.

To understand why it is called negative feedback, you can trace it back to its origins in the field of cybernetics, which is the study of self-regulating systems. The term was coined by mathematician Norbert Wiener in the 1940s. In this context, "negative" feedback simply means that the system responds by dampening or reversing the initial change, rather than amplifying it.

So, although the term "negative" might sound counterintuitive, negative feedback is actually a positive mechanism that promotes well-being by helping us maintain stability and respond to changes in our environment.