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🤔intro to philosophy review

Satisfactionism

Written by the Fiveable Content Team • Last updated September 2025
Written by the Fiveable Content Team • Last updated September 2025

Definition

Satisfactionism is the view that well-being or the good life is achieved through the satisfaction of desires or preferences, rather than through the attainment of some objective standard of well-being. It focuses on the subjective experience of having one's wants and needs met, rather than on external measures of well-being.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

  1. Satisfactionism emphasizes the importance of an individual's own assessment of their well-being, rather than relying on external measures or objective standards.
  2. Proponents of satisfactionism argue that the fulfillment of desires and preferences is what ultimately matters for well-being, not the attainment of some predetermined ideal.
  3. Satisfactionism is often contrasted with objective list theories of well-being, which hold that there are certain objective goods or virtues that contribute to a life well-lived.
  4. Critics of satisfactionism argue that it fails to account for the possibility of misinformed or irrational preferences, and that it may lead to a narrow focus on immediate gratification.
  5. Satisfactionism is closely related to the concept of subjective well-being, which emphasizes the importance of an individual's own assessment of their life satisfaction and emotional state.

Review Questions

  • Explain how satisfactionism differs from objective list theories of well-being.
    • Satisfactionism differs from objective list theories of well-being in its emphasis on the subjective experience of desire fulfillment, rather than the attainment of predetermined objective goods or virtues. Objective list theories hold that there are certain universal standards or goods that contribute to a life well-lived, such as knowledge, achievement, or the development of certain character traits. In contrast, satisfactionism focuses on the individual's own assessment of their well-being based on the satisfaction of their personal preferences and desires, regardless of whether those desires align with an external standard of well-being.
  • Analyze the potential limitations of a satisfactionist approach to well-being.
    • One potential limitation of satisfactionism is its failure to account for the possibility of misinformed or irrational preferences. If an individual's desires are based on false beliefs or a distorted understanding of their own well-being, then satisfying those desires may not actually contribute to their overall well-being. Additionally, a satisfactionist approach may lead to a narrow focus on immediate gratification, rather than considering the long-term consequences of desire fulfillment. Critics argue that this could result in a life that is ultimately unsatisfying or even harmful, despite the individual's subjective assessment of their well-being.
  • Evaluate the relationship between satisfactionism and the concept of subjective well-being.
    • Satisfactionism is closely related to the concept of subjective well-being, which emphasizes the importance of an individual's own assessment of their life satisfaction and emotional state. Both approaches prioritize the individual's subjective experience over external, objective measures of well-being. However, while satisfactionism focuses specifically on the fulfillment of desires and preferences, subjective well-being encompasses a broader range of factors that contribute to an individual's overall assessment of their own well-being, including positive and negative emotions, life satisfaction, and the presence of meaning and purpose. The relationship between these two concepts highlights the complex and multifaceted nature of well-being, and the importance of considering both subjective and objective factors in evaluating the quality of a person's life.