Meeting Needs

The concept of needs works to sort out social policies. Yet the idea is in disrepute with many thinkers who, led by economists, accuse it of being too fluid, or too narrow, or of serving no purpose that the concept of preferences does not serve better. David Braybrooke refutes these charges by providing a model of how the concept of needs works when it is working well. Originally published in 1987. The **Princeton Legacy Library** uses the latest print-on-demand technology to again make available previously out-of-print books from the distinguished backlist of Princeton University Press. These editions preserve the original texts of these important books while presenting them in durable paperback and hardcover editions. The goal of the Princeton Legacy Library is to vastly increase access to the rich scholarly heritage found in the thousands of books published by Princeton University Press since its founding in 1905. The concept of needs works to sort out social policies. Yet the idea is in disrepute with many thinkers who, led by economists, accuse it of being too fluid, or too narrow, or of serving no purpose that the concept of preferences does not serve better. David Braybrooke refutes these charges by providing a model of how the concept of needs works when it is working well. Originally published in 1987. The Princeton Legacy Library uses the latest print-on-demand technology to again make available previously out-of-print books from the distinguished backlist of Princeton University Press. These paperback editions preserve the original texts of these important books while presenting them in durable paperback editions. The goal of the Princeton Legacy Library is to vastly increase access to the rich scholarly heritage found in the thousands of books published by Princeton University Press since its founding in 1905 CONTENTS ADVICE TO READERS ONE. THE CHARGES AGAINST THE CONCEPT OF NEEDS TWO. THE CONCEPT OF NEEDS IN NORMATIVE USE APPLIED TO SOCIAL POLICY: BASIC ACCOUNT THREE. COMPLICATIONS SURROUNDING THE BASIC ACCOUNT: DERIVATION, CONVENTIONALITY, NORMATIVITY FOUR. THE PLACE OF NEEDS IN REASONING ABOUT JUSTICE FIVE. UTILITARIANISM WITHOUT UTILITY SIX. ATTENTION TO NEEDS WITH FURTHER ATTENTION TO PREFERENCES SEVEN. THE EXPANSION OF NEEDS EIGHT. THE CONCEPT OF NEEDS AT THREE POINTS OF BREAKDOWN NOTES ACKNOWLEDGMENTS INDEX