Abstract
This paper argues for a distinction between well-being -what someone has if her life is going well for her- and prudential value - the valuesomething hasif it is 'good for'someoneand contributes to making her life go well. It discusses some philosophical points regarding the nature of prudential value and its relationship to well-being, which could be either 'bottom-up' (where well-being is defined in terms of prudential value, or 'top-down' (where the reverse is true). It further argues that prudential value can be measured, both directly and indirectly, and that there would be benefits, for policy makers interested in well-being, inrecognising the distinction between these two related notions, and in focusing on prudential value in certain circumstances.
How to Cite:
Taylor, T.,
(2013) “Well-being and Prudential Value”,
Philosophy and Public Policy Quarterly 31(2),
10–17.
doi: https://doi.org/10.13021/G8pppq.312013.130