How would you define need and want in contrast to each other? (read info)
How would you define want?
(my phone is glitching and messed up my info here a bit but whwt I have is sufficient to the debate.)
How would you define need?
Is there a difference? Why or why not?
Is the difference between want and need relative?
Can you want something without needing something and vice versa?
If you need something does that mean you want something and vice versa
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I think that all needs can equally be classfied as wants. I think the reason why we may be confused about this equality is because we sometimes have contradictory wants. In cases where we have contradicting wants we may want to assign the term 'need' to the action with higher priority, while we assign a lower priority to the other action be designating it with the term 'want'. Let's say that I want to be happy and that this requires me to some extent, to be physically fit. But let's say that I also want to eat excessive amounts of junk food each and every day. We say that I merely want to eat junk food, but that I need to be physically fit. But notice that the 'need' to be physically fit is fundamentally based on a 'want' to be happy. The 'need' to be physically fit can accurately be called a want. My case is that you can reduce any 'need' to a more fundamental want, and this process is identical to the process that reduces the want of junkfood to the want for pleasure. Every need is a want. But some wants are not needs. For instance, you don't need to be happy, but you do want to be happy. So there's atleast one thing that you want but that you don't need, but as far as I can tell you can't designate a need without refering to a more fundamental want. That is, needs are a subset of wants. 1
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I'm questioning everyone on here, including you, but let me just say I think your argument is a wonderful perception of wants and needs and is the critical thought I was really looking for. Because I have a hard time being 100% objective on this and your thoughts do coincide with mine a bit (even improved my understanding of how I viewed this even) I may have a hard time questioning you. I think that all needs can equally be classfied as wants. I think the reason why we may be confused about this equality is because we sometimes have contradictory wants. In cases where we have contradicting wants we may want to assign the term 'need' to the action with higher priority, while we assign a lower priority to the other action be designating it with the term 'want'. Let's say that I want to be happy and that this requires me to some extent, to be physically fit. But let's say that I also want to eat excessive amounts of junk food each and every day. We say that I merely want to eat junk food, but that I need to be physically fit. But notice that the 'need' to be physically fit is fundamentally based on a 'want' to be happy. The 'need' to be physically fit can accurately be called a want. My case is that you can reduce any 'need' to a more fundamental want, and this process is identical to the process that reduces the want of junkfood to the want for pleasure. Every need is a want. But some wants are not needs. For instance, you don't need to be happy, but you do want to be happy. So there's atleast one thing that you want but that you don't need, but as far as I can tell you can't designate a need without refering to a more fundamental want. That is, needs are a subset of wants. Have you never heard someone choose something that they claimed they wanted over something they needed? For example drugs. People claim they NEED to get off drugs but can't because they want them too much. Does addiction in and of itself contradict this philosophical theory of want and need? People claim they NEED to get off drugs but can't because they want them too much. So the question is why people can have a deep fundamental want to discontinue use of drugs, but be incapable of doing so, correct? It's maybe a bit like saying that we need to stop war. We know we ought to stop, but it's kind of tricky since there's a lot of circumstances preventing us from doing what we know we need to do. For the drug addict, the circumstances preventing him from stopping is his social circle and his malfunctioning reward circuits. Fighting addiction is like having a full blown war inside your head. The addict may lose a battle or two or every single one. But even though he's losing, he may still recognize that it would be much better if his addiction simply stopped attacking his sense of peace, allowing him to relax again. Sadly, knowledge doesn't imply practical capacity. Knowledge may inspire the addict to put an effort into stopping, but it's the effort, not the knowledge that allows him to stop. It's possible that he knows, but that doesn't mean that he can. How would you define want? That which is desired How would you define need? That which is required Is there a difference? Why or why not? Yes, because that which is desired is not necessarily required and vice versa. Is the difference between want and need relative? at least sometimes. Can you want something without needing something and vice versa? Obviously If you need something does that mean you want something and vice versa No 1
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I am disputing/questioning/challenging everyone before posting regardless of whether or not I agree. That which is desired That which is required Could you elaborate more otherwise to me this is more like X = X. Give more detail, what is the difference between required and desired. Yes, because that which is desired is not necessarily required and vice versa. If you require something to a certain degree does that mean you desire it? I presume you consider your survival a necessity, is it required because you desire to live? at least sometimes. What is the relativity between necessity and a want. What changes when a wat becomes a necessity? Vice Versa? Obviously No Refer to my 3rd point. 1
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Need is the instinctual desire for something that provides the basic necessities for living (food, shelter, safety, and maybe even care) Want is the desire for anything other then those basic needs. So is the statement "one needs to work harder to get a promotion?" False since a promotion doesn't necessarily keep you alive. Is a job necessary if you can stay alive on the streets? Is that only a want? 1
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