Why Be a Subjectivist about Wellbeing?. Issue 2 (18th February 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Königs, Peter
• Is Part Of: Canadian journal of philosophy. Volume 52:Issue 2(2022)
• Page Start: 165
• Page End: 179
• Publication Date: 2022-02-18
• Subjects: Wellbeing -- welfare -- prudential value -- subjectivism -- objectivism -- idealization -- internalism; Philosophy -- Periodicals; 105
• DOI: 10.1017/can.2022.26
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0045-5091

Abstract

Abstract: Subjectivism about wellbeing rests on the idea that what is good for a person must 'fit' her, 'resonate' with her, not be 'alien' to her, etc. This idea has been called the 'beating heart' of subjectivism. In this article, I present the No-Beating-Heart Challenge for subjectivism, which holds that there is no satisfactory statement of this idea. I proceed by first identifying three criteria that any statement of the idea must meet if it is to provide support for subjectivism: Distinctness, Exclusiveness, and Explicitness. I then argue that no statement of this idea meets these criteria.