Synonyms
Definition
In general, evaluative facts (e.g., the fact that knowledge is good, the fact that stealing is wrong) are called objective if they obtain independently of the beliefs and other attitudes (e.g., desires, approvals, hopes, wishes, fears, likings) of subjects. By contrast, evaluative facts are subjective if they depend for their existence on the beliefs or attitudes of subjects.
Description
The objective/subjective distinction is deployed in several related ways within the philosophical and psychological literature on welfare, well-being, happiness, prudential value, and quality of life(hereafter, “welfare”). There is controversy about whether the welfare of human beings and other sentient creatures is itself objectively or subjectively good. More prominently, there is a debate about whether the true theory of welfare treats welfare as objective or subjective. There is also considerable controversy concerning what makes theories...
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
References
Adams, R. M. (1999). Finite and infinite goods. New York: Oxford University Press.
Appiah, K. A. (2005). The ethics of identity. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press.
Arneson, R. (1999). Human flourishing versus desire satisfaction. Social Philosophy and Policy, 16(1), 113–142.
Brink, D. (1989). Moral realism and the foundations of ethics. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press.
Carson, T. L. (2000). Value and the good life. South Bend, Ind.: Notre Dame University Press.
Crisp, R. (2006). Reasons and the good. Oxford, UK: Clarendon.
Dorsey, D. (2011). The Hedonist’s Dilemma. Journal of Moral Philosophy, 8(2), 173–196.
Dorsey, D. (2012). Subjectivism without desire. Philosophical Review, 121(3), 407–442.
Feinberg, J. (1984). Harm to others. Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press.
Feldman, F. (2004). Pleasure and the good life. Oxford, UK: Clarendon.
Fletcher, G. (forthcoming). A fresh start for the objective-list theory of well-being. Utilitas.
Griffin, J. (1986). Well-being. Oxford, UK: Clarendon.
Haybron, D. (2008). The pursuit of unhappiness. Oxford, UK: Clarendon.
Heathwood, C. (2006). Desire satisfactionism and hedonism. Philosophical Studies, 128, 539–563.
Hurka, T. (1993). Perfectionism. Oxford, UK: Clarendon.
Kraut, R (2007). What is good and why. Cambridge, Mass: Harvard University Press.
Moore, G. E. (1903). Principia Ethica. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press.
Murphy, M. C. (2001). Natural law and practical rationality. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press.
Nussbaum, M., & Sen, A. (Eds.). (1993). The quality of life. Oxford, UK: Clarendon.
Parfit, D. (1984). Reasons and persons. Oxford, UK: Clarendon.
Raibley, J. (2012). Health and well-being. Philosophical Studies, 161, 4.
Railton, P. (2002). Facts and values. In Facts, values, and norms. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press.
Rawls, J. (1971). A therory of jusice. Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard Belknap.
Rosati, C. (1996). Internalism and the good for a person. Ethics, 106, 297–326.
Sarch, A. (2011). Internalism about a person’s good: Don’t believe it. Philosophical Studies, 154, 161–184.
Scanlon, T. M. (1998). What do we owe to each other? Cambridge, MA: Belknap Press of Harvard University Press.
Sobel, D. (1997). On the subjectivity of welfare. Ethics, 107, 501–508.
Sobel, D. (2009). Subjectivism and idealization. Ethics, 119, 336–352.
Sumner, L. W. (1996). Welfare, happiness, and ethics. New York: Oxford University Press.
Tiberius, V. (2008). The reflective life. New York: Oxford University Press.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2014 Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht
About this entry
Cite this entry
Raibley, J. (2014). Objectivity/Subjectivity of Values. In: Michalos, A.C. (eds) Encyclopedia of Quality of Life and Well-Being Research. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-0753-5_1988
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-0753-5_1988
Publisher Name: Springer, Dordrecht
Print ISBN: 978-94-007-0752-8
Online ISBN: 978-94-007-0753-5
eBook Packages: Humanities, Social Sciences and Law