Defining wellness in legal education: A reply to Kawamata

Abstract

This article responds to Oscar Kawamata’s thought-provoking criticisms of the conception of law student well-being that I previously advocated in this journal. Kawamata argues that my objective model of well-being is unrealistic and unhelpful from his perspective as a law student, proposing instead a subjective account grounded in Buddhist philosophy. While acknowledging Kawamata’s valid concerns, I suggest that an idea of well-being with objective elements is still preferable to a purely subjective conception. Put simply, well-being does not just consist in changing your mind; sometimes, you need to change your life as well.