Abstract
<jats:title>Abstract</jats:title> <jats:p>Desire-oriented theories of welfare develop the following thought: a person’s welfare is, at least by and large, the fulfilment of her desires. This chapter presents reasons to think in that direction and some significant challenges and choices that come up along the way. Questions that receive special attention include the following: What are the relevant understandings of “desire” and of “fulfilment”? Given those understandings, what are the links between desire fulfilment and pleasure? Is a person better off with a desire that is fulfilled than without the desire? Can desires be weighed against each other, and can desire fulfilment be quantified? Light is also shed on the relation of welfare to certain controversial cases of desire fulfilment and to the malleability of desires.</jats:p>