 Finally, the state-dependent mental view identifies a person’s welfare with some mental state such as happiness or satisfaction. It is assumed that the relevant states of mind can at least in principle be judged by external assessors. If such a view is applied within a utilitarian framework, then it can give rise to hedonistic utilitarianism. This view can be criticized for paternalism and for being uncritical towards arrangements in which individuals are happy in spite of being oppressed or deprived. Furthermore, the difficulties involved in comparing mental properties such as happiness in different persons creates a problem for views that depend on such comparisons for the determination of welfare. However, recent work on the measurement of happiness and life satisfaction has challenged that view, and may have opened up new avenues for research in both economics and moral philosophy. (Ng 1997) 