Well-Being and Six Features of the Human Condition

I describe six features of the human condition which I contend are common to us all, so bearing on questions concerning human well-being. Though I resist using the term human nature, as this may imply a too thick conception of commonality - not properly accounting for cultural and social differences, and inadequately accommodating the wide gamut of philosophical positions concerning the character of well-being and how it should be valued. The six features of the human condition outlined, therefore, will hopefully not be that controversial for most people, anticipating that, from this description, I can classify differences in philosophical positions concerning well-being. In short, drawing on the wider well-being literature in philosophy, I argue that whatever conception of well-being used, all must accommodate these six features of the human condition - though the precise relationship between these features vary, depending on the position taken. These features are embodiment, finiteness, sociability, cognition, evaluation, and agency