Well-being occupies a central role in ethics and political philosophy, including in major theories such as utilitarianism. It also extends far beyond philosophy: recent studies into the science and psychology of well-being have propelled the topic to centre stage, and governments spend millions on promoting it. We are encouraged to adopt modes of thinking and behaviour that support individual well-being or 'wellness'.
What is well-being? Which theories of well-being are most plausible? In this rigorous and comprehensive introduction to the topic, Guy Fletcher unpacks and assesses these questions and many more, including:
- Are pleasure and pain the only things that affect well-being?
- Does getting what we want make our lives go better?
- Can something be good for someone who does not desire it?
- Is well-being fundamentally connected to human nature?
- Is happiness all that makes our lives go well?
- Which things make our lives go worse?
- Is death always bad for us?
- How is the well-being of a whole life related to well-being at particular times?
Fully revised and updated throughout, this second edition includes a new chapter on ill-being. Annotated further reading and study and comprehension questions follow each chapter, and a glossary of key terms is also included.
The Philosophy of Well-Being is essential reading for students of ethics and political philosophy, and is also suitable for those in related disciplines such as psychology, politics and sociology.