C-032Well-Being and Its MeasurementConfidence: High
Matthew. Well-Being and Fair Distribution (Selection)
Adler (2012)
One-Sentence Thesis
The chapter develops an account of well-being that allows for interpersonal comparisons and represents well-being comparisons via a set of utility functions constructed for a given situation.
Argument Outline
- 1Introduction to the concept of well-being and its importance in welfarist decision procedures
- 2Discussion of the philosophical literature on well-being, including preference-satisfaction, mental states, and objective goods accounts
- 3Presentation of a generic case for interpersonal comparisons and Harsanyi's use of extended preferences and EU theory
- 4Development of the author's own account of well-being, which derives interpersonal level and difference comparisons as well as ratio information from a set of utility functions
Key Distinctions
Intrapersonal vs. interpersonal comparisons of well-being
Preference-satisfaction vs. mental states vs. objective goods accounts of well-being
Ordinary preferences vs. extended preferences
Key Terms
Well-being
A normative concept that figures in a moral theory, namely welfarism
Extended preferences
Preferences that take the form of ranking life-histories or lotteries over life-histories
EU theory
Expected utility theory, used to construct utility functions that represent individuals' extended preferences
Flashcards
21 cardsRelated Questions
3
In Adler's "Matthew. Well-Being and Fair Distribution (Selection)", value-free attitude of sympathy defines which of the following?
3
In Adler's "Matthew. Well-Being and Fair Distribution (Selection)", Adler defines which of the following?
3
In Adler's "Matthew. Well-Being and Fair Distribution (Selection)", full-information preferentialist views appeal to which of the following?
3
In Adler's "Matthew. Well-Being and Fair Distribution (Selection)", Lionel Robbins argues against which of the following?
3
In Adler's "Matthew. Well-Being and Fair Distribution (Selection)", Griffin's account of well-being depends on which of the following?
4
Which of the following does Adler responds to in "Matthew. Well-Being and Fair Distribution (Selection)"?