Well-being is better measured by achieved functionings than by happiness or wealth.

Evidence

Sen primarily uses the concept of capabilities to compare quality of life in different places, especially in developing nations; he sees this attention as a much better indicator of such quality than a simple growth or a wealth-centered GNP rating. ‘The central feature of well-being is the ability to achieve valuable functionings. The need for identification and valuation of the important functionings cannot be avoided by looking at something else, such as happiness, desire fulfillment, opulence, or command over primary good (Sen 1985: 200). Functionings refer to various doings and beings: these could be activities (like eating or reading or seeing), or states of existence or being (being well nourished, being free from disease) (p. 197). This approach ‘concentrates on the opportunity to be able to have combinations of functionings … and the person is free to make use of this opportunity or not. A capability reflects the alternative combinations of functionings from which the person can choose one combination’ (Sen 2005: 154). — David Schlosberg, Defining Environmental Justice, 127

Categorization

• DEFINE: Defines capabilities versus functionings and marks both as superior indicators to GNP or happiness for well-being comparison.
• XREF: connects to: Interests are only a proxy for well-being, not the whole story — Russell Hardin, Trust and Trustworthiness, 146

Broader Connections

• Interests are only a proxy for well-being, not the whole story #corroborates (0.85) — Russell Hardin, Trust and Trustworthiness, 146