Moral philosophers agree that welfare matters. But they do not agree about what it is, or how much it matters. Wayne Sumner presents an original theory of welfare, investigating its nature and discussing its importance. He considers and rejects all notable rival theories, both objective and subjective, including hedonism and theories founded on desire or preference. His own theory connects welfare closely with happiness or life satisfaction.

Professor Sumner then proceeds to defend welfarism, that is, to argue (against the value pluralism that currently dominates moral philosophy) that welfare is the only basic ethical value, the only thing which we have a moral reason to promote for its own sake. He concludes by discussing the implications of this thesis for ethical and political theory.

L.W. Sumner is a university professor in the Department of Philosophy at the University of Toronto.

L.W. Sumner's profile page

'Very helpful footnotes and an extensive bibliography. Upper-division undergraduate and graduate students and faculty in philosophy will find this volume of special interest.' Choice

'Undismayed by the damage that economists and politicians in different ways have done to the term 'welfare', Sumner offers a carefully developed systematic argument for restoring the term to a better use ... This argument moves on from stage to stage to few visible slips. At every stage it is illuminating. At every stage it keeps up enough suspense to impel readers to go on to see how the next stage will work out. This will be true even for readers thoroughly familiar with the topics and the texts that Sumner takes up. Sumner has something new and penetrating to say about all of them. Thus overall it is a very accomplished book.' David Braybrooke, Philosophy in Review

'a clear, careful and well-crafted investigation into major theories of welfare' Bruce Brower, University of Tulane, The Philosophical Review, vol 107, no 2, April 1998

'The book is extremely well-written and argued, and the discussion of competing views (e.g., hedonism, desire theory, perfectionism) is very insightful. Most importantly, Sumner's theory of welfare breaks important new ground, and is sure to become one of the leading theories. Ignore this book at your peril.' Peter Vallentyne, Economics and Philosophy