Well-Being: Its Meaning, Measurement, And Moral Importance (Clarendon Paperbacks)

Well-Being: Its Meaning, Measurement, and Moral Importance (Clarendon Paperbacks)

Review"Highly recommended for philosophy, economics, political science, and moral education collections. For those who love the creative edge, it is must reading."--Choice"There is...a tendency in some utilitarian writings to neglect or deny the complexity of ethical thought and practice. James Griffin, by contrast, is alive to this complexity....[and] suggests a more sensitive and less doctrinaire utilitarianism than many have thought possible."--Times Literary Supplement"Griffin examines a wide range of issues in moral philosophy in an extremely thoughtful and constructive way. His book is one which anyone working in the subject could consult with profit, especially for its thorough and perceptive discussion of how the idea of well-being is best understood for the purposes of utilitarian or non-utilitarian moral theory."--The Philosophical Review"...this is one of the most thorough discussions of well-being. I'll certainly recommend it to my students."--Boran Beric, Brooklyn College and Hofstra University"Well-being," "welfare," "utility," and "quality of life" all closely related concepts, are at the center of morality, politics, law, and economics. Griffin's book, while primarily a volume of moral philosophy, is relevant to all of these subjects. Griffin offers answers to three central questions about well-being: the best way to understand it, whether or not it can be measured, and where it should fit in moral and political thought. With its breadth of investigation and depth of insight, this work holds significance for philosophers as well as for those interested in political and economic theory and jurisprudence.From the Back CoverThis book is about several closely related ideas--'well-being', 'welfare', 'utility', 'the quality of life'. These are ideas at the centre of morality, politics, law, and economics. The book is primarily a work of moral philosophy but is relevant to all of these subjects. The author offers answers to three questions. What is the best way to understand well-being? To what extent can it be measured? And where should it fit in our moral and political thought?About the AuthorJames Griffin is a White's Professor of Moral Philosophy at University of Oxford.