Desire Satisfaction Theories and the Problem of Depression

Authors

Andrew Spaid, University of Nebraska - LincolnFollow

First Advisor

Joseph Mendola

Second Advisor

John Brunero

Date of this Version

Spring 4-24-2020

Comments

A DISSERTATION Presented to the Faculty of The Graduate College at the University of Nebraska In Partial Fulfillment of Requirements For the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy, Major: Philosophy, Under the supervision of Professors Joseph Mendola and John Brunero. Lincoln, Nebraska: April 2020

Copyright 2020 Andrew Spaid

Abstract

This dissertation argues that the desire satisfaction theory, arguably the dominant theory of well-being at present, fails to explain why depression is bad for a person. People with clinical depression desire almost nothing, but the few desires they do have are almost all satisfied. So it appears the theory must say these people are relatively well-off. A number of possible responses on behalf of the theory are considered, and I argue that each response either fails outright, or requires modifications to the desire satisfaction theory which make the theory unattractive for other reasons.

Advisors: Joseph Mendola and John Brunero