<p>This paper outlines a subjectivist theory of well-being that can provide objective axiological guidance to well-being. According to the subjectivist theories of well-being, conditions that make life go well for you are determined by your subjective attitude toward the conditions, such as desiring, enjoying, and believing to be good. This is a natural idea, but there is a worry that if your subjective attitude determines the conditions of your well-being, then the theory cannot provide axiological guidance (as distinguished from instrumental guidance on what to do for realizing the given value) when your subjective attitude is defective. Axiological guidance is possible by the objectivist theories of well-being, according to which certain conditions make life go well for you regardless of your subjective attitude toward them, but it is difficult to explain why conditions you do not desire, enjoy, or believe to be good make life go well for you. This paper proposes to resolve this dispute in favor of subjectivism: Given that your subjective attitudes, such as desiring, enjoying, and believing to be good, change over time in response to the conditions of your life, a version of the subjectivist theory of well-being can provide objective axiological guidance to well-being.</p>

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Reshaping values for your own good: subjectivity and objectivity in well-being

  • Tomoji Shogenji

摘要

This paper outlines a subjectivist theory of well-being that can provide objective axiological guidance to well-being. According to the subjectivist theories of well-being, conditions that make life go well for you are determined by your subjective attitude toward the conditions, such as desiring, enjoying, and believing to be good. This is a natural idea, but there is a worry that if your subjective attitude determines the conditions of your well-being, then the theory cannot provide axiological guidance (as distinguished from instrumental guidance on what to do for realizing the given value) when your subjective attitude is defective. Axiological guidance is possible by the objectivist theories of well-being, according to which certain conditions make life go well for you regardless of your subjective attitude toward them, but it is difficult to explain why conditions you do not desire, enjoy, or believe to be good make life go well for you. This paper proposes to resolve this dispute in favor of subjectivism: Given that your subjective attitudes, such as desiring, enjoying, and believing to be good, change over time in response to the conditions of your life, a version of the subjectivist theory of well-being can provide objective axiological guidance to well-being.