Final answer:
The subject is Philosophy, and the grade level is College. The concept of well-being is explored through subjective values and objective goods, such as knowledge and virtue, which transcend individual preferences to universally contribute to one's flourishing life.
Step-by-step explanation:
The discussion revolves around well-being and how subjectively and objectively obtained values, beliefs, and lifeways contribute to an individual's or group's health, coping with illness, disabilities, or death. Well-being is a multi-dimensional concept encompassing physical, mental, emotional, social, environmental, and spiritual aspects. Subjectively obtained values are often based on personal experiences, desires, or preferences, which can be indeterminate and conditional, therefore posing challenges when used as an ethical basis. In contrast, objective goods such as knowledge, virtue, and friendship, can serve as more solid foundations for evaluating well-being as they tend to support flourishing beyond individual subjectivity.
Philosophers often explore well-being through three primary lenses: pleasure, desire, and objective goods. Pleasure and desire are intrinsically valuable to individuals, whereas objective goods like health can be argued to transcend individual wants and relate to universal needs contributing to a meaningful life. For instance, incentive for creativity, social interaction, and personal involvement in daily activities are seen as universally beneficial for health and well-being. The distinction between personal desires and objective goods is crucial in situations where individual preferences may contradict with what is beneficial for the person. Knowledge, as Aristotle posited, is a universal human desire and fundamental to well-being since ignorance can lead to negative consequences for an individual's life.