Skip to content
Carmelics
Topics
Thinkers
Changes
Contributors
Loading account…
Statements
321,452
Perspectives
108,905
Topics
42
Home
/
Original
/
inverse
See Original
Inverse View
It is not the case that Happiness is partially constituted by whose happiness it is, meaning 'happiness as such' stripped of its bearer is not a coherent object of concern.
?
Set your confidence on the premises below to see your aggregate.
Reasons For
1 perspective
Reason for
?
1.
Happiness can be defined by objective features (health, relationships, autonomy) that retain meaning independent of particular bearers.
?
How convincing is this?
Think about whether this reason is strong or weak
2.
We can coherently prefer a world with more aggregate happiness even if we care not whose happiness it is—suggesting bearer-independent value.
?
How convincing is this?
Think about whether this reason is strong or weak
3.
The claim conflates epistemic access (we know happiness through subjects) with metaphysical dependence on personal identity for its reality.
?
How convincing is this?
Think about whether this reason is strong or weak
Reasons Against
1 perspective
Reason against
?
1.
Happiness involves evaluative attitudes about one's own life; these attitudes are intrinsically relational to the subject experiencing them.
?
How convincing is this?
Think about whether this reason is strong or weak
2.
Concern for 'happiness itself' abstracted from any person would be conceptually empty—like caring about 'redness' divorced from red objects.
?
How convincing is this?
Think about whether this reason is strong or weak
3.
Personal identity and projects shape what constitutes happiness for each person; the same state differs in value depending on whose life it is.
?
How convincing is this?
Think about whether this reason is strong or weak
Next step
Based on where you are in your exploration
Strongest counterpoint
Explore the most compelling reason on the other side.