Martha Lang

The central goal of this article is to make the case that the revamped version of Michael Bishop’s Network Theory of Well-being, described in his 2015 book The Good Life: Unifying the Philosophy and Psychology of Well-Being, provides a worthwhile framework for philosophical counseling endeavors, including Logic-Based Therapy. In 2017, The Network Theory of Well-Being, Revamped emerged as a response to Bishop’s theory of well-being; the revamped version was also my dissertation, which I successfully defended and published that year. By appealing to a set of counter-examples, I argue that Bishop’s theory is missing an essential component; his positive causal network model of well-being allows for sever­al problematic cases which, upon investigation, demonstrate positive causal networks but cannot reasonably be considered examples of well-being. In revamping Network Theory, I argue that three additional criteria are required for well-being: authenticity, a bit of moral­ity, and some objective information. Altogether, these three criteria comprise what I call holistic authenticity. As such, the emergent theory of well-being declares that well-being is a matter of instantiating a holistically authentic positive causal network. This theory of well-being is the most reasonable notion of well-being for philosophical counseling because it is based on Network Theory’s inclusive method, which requires that the philosophy of well-being join forces with the science of well-being.

The EARN Theory of Well-Being includes a practical model for ascertaining and analyzing the well-being of individuals or groups; in its most recent iteration, EARN Theory includes insights from Lang's Network Theory of Well-Being, Revamped, which states that well-being is a matter of instantiating a holistically authentic positive causal network. Both EARN Theory and the Network Theory of Well-Being, Revamped are informed by the science of well-being and guided by a sense of justice. Presented as an inference to the best explanation, the argument for EARN Theory is naturalistic while also inclusive of existential and moral considerations. EARN Theory gives us something to strive for where our well-being is concerned, and it helps us to articulate personal and societal reasons that our well-being gets derailed or diminished at times. EARN Theory has numerous practical applications, including philosophy-based consulting, self-help endeavors, and public policy reform that promotes a renewed notion of justice.