Well-being theories explore what makes life good and worth living. Epicurean hedonism and utilitarianism focus on pleasure and happiness, while satisfactionism emphasizes fulfilling desires. Each approach offers unique insights into human flourishing and its challenges.

Objective goods like health and relationships contribute to well-being regardless of personal preferences. Eudaimonism takes this further, linking well-being to virtue and realizing one's potential. These perspectives highlight the complexity of human thriving beyond mere pleasure or desire satisfaction.

Theories of Well-Being

Epicurean hedonism vs utilitarianism

• Epicurean hedonism focuses on individual pleasure and avoidance of pain as the key to well-being
  • Emphasizes simple pleasures (good food, friendship) and absence of pain
  • Pursues ataraxia, a state of tranquility and freedom from fear (inner peace)
• Utilitarianism defines well-being as maximizing overall happiness or utility for the greatest number
  • Considers consequences of actions in determining moral worth (ends justify means)
  • Recognizes individual pleasure may need to be sacrificed for greater good (higher taxes for social programs)
• Both theories emphasize importance of happiness and pleasure in well-being and acknowledge role of pain and suffering in diminishing it
• Epicurean hedonism focuses on individual pleasure, while utilitarianism considers happiness of all affected
• Utilitarianism emphasizes consequences of actions more, while Epicurean hedonism prioritizes personal pleasure
• Both theories contribute to our understanding of hedonic well-being, which focuses on pleasure and pain

Strengths and limitations of satisfactionism

• Satisfactionism defines well-being as satisfaction of an individual's desires or preferences
  • Extent to which a person's wants and goals are fulfilled determines their well-being
• Strengths:
  • Accounts for subjective nature of well-being, recognizing individuals have different desires and goals
  • Allows wide range of pursuits to contribute to well-being if they align with individual's preferences (career, hobbies, relationships)
• Limitations:
  • Doesn't account for possibility of misinformed or misguided desires that may not actually contribute to well-being (addiction, self-harm)
  • Fails to recognize potential for adaptive preferences, where individuals adjust desires based on limited options or oppressive circumstances (lowering expectations due to poverty)
  • Doesn't consider inherent value of certain objective goods that may contribute to well-being regardless of individual preferences (health, education)

Objective Goods and Eudaimonism

Objective goods for well-being

• Health and physical well-being enable individuals to engage in activities and pursue goals without physical limitations
  • Reduces burden of illness and pain, allowing for greater enjoyment of life
• Education and knowledge provide skills and understanding to navigate world and make informed decisions
  • Enhances critical thinking and problem-solving abilities, contributing to personal growth and fulfillment
• Social connections and relationships offer emotional support, companionship, and sense of belonging essential for psychological well-being
  • Enable sharing experiences, learning from others, and finding meaning in interactions (friendships, family, community)
• Autonomy and self-determination allow individuals to make choices and have control over their lives
  • Promotes sense of agency and responsibility
  • Enables pursuit of personally meaningful goals and values, contributing to sense of purpose and fulfillment
• These objective goods contribute to overall quality of life

Approaches to eudaimonism

• Aristotelian eudaimonism defines well-being as realization of one's full potential through cultivation of virtue
  • Emphasizes importance of developing good character traits (courage, justice, wisdom)
  • Connects happiness to fulfillment of human nature and achievement of highest human good
• Stoic eudaimonism focuses on living in accordance with reason and virtue, regardless of external circumstances
  • Emphasizes importance of inner tranquility and acceptance of one's fate
  • Connects well-being to development of strong moral character and ability to maintain equanimity in face of adversity (resilience)
• Eudaimonism connects virtue and happiness to well-being
  • Virtue seen as intrinsically valuable and essential for achieving genuine happiness and well-being
  • Cultivating good character traits believed to lead to more fulfilling and meaningful life
  • Happiness viewed as byproduct of living virtuous life, rather than end in itself
• Eudaimonia represents the concept of living well and realizing one's full potential

Additional Perspectives on Well-Being

Subjective and Psychological Well-Being

• Subjective well-being focuses on individuals' own evaluations of their lives
  • Includes cognitive judgments of life satisfaction and emotional reactions to life events
• Psychological well-being emphasizes optimal psychological functioning and development
  • Includes aspects such as personal growth, positive relationships, and sense of purpose
• Flourishing represents a state of optimal mental health, combining aspects of both subjective and psychological well-being
  • Characterized by positive emotions, engagement, relationships, meaning, and accomplishment