Final answer:
The Desire Satisfaction theory of human welfare suggests well-being is achieved by satisfying individual desires. An argument against this theory is that individuals may have misinformed desires, which do not lead to genuine well-being. Philosophers contrast this with objective goods and engage in debates between cognitivism and non-cognitivism concerning values.
Step-by-step explanation:
Desire Satisfaction Theory
The Desire Satisfaction theory of human welfare posits that individual well-being is achieved when a person's desires are satisfied. According to this theory, the quality of a person's life can be measured by the extent to which their desires are fulfilled. Flourishing, then, is a matter of desire satisfaction, which depends on the individual's preferences.
Argument Against Desire Satisfaction Theory
An argument against the Desire Satisfaction theory is that individuals can have desires that are not well-informed. For example, one might wish to become an astronaut believing it will lead to happiness, only to later realize that the reality of space travel does not align with their true desires, such as when dealing with the loneliness of long space flights. This shows that only the satisfaction of informed desires leads to happiness, while fulfilling uninformed desires might not contribute to genuine well-being.
Objective Goods and Well-Being
Contrasting the subjective nature of desire satisfaction, some philosophers argue for the existence of objective goods that are inherently valuable and contribute to human flourishing. Such objective goods may include knowledge, virtue, friendship, and personal achievement.
Cognitivism and Non-cognitivism
The theory also touches on the philosophical debate between cognitivism and non-cognitivism regarding values. Cognitivism suggests that values are cognitive, with a base in rational thought and can express statements about the world, while non-cognitivism views values as non-cognitive and more closely related to emotional states rather than rational judgments.