Those things that a person needs, or that are conducive to his or her flourishing and success. The central examples of things against someone’s interests are the things that harm or injure them. The concept thus inherits the problems of understanding what makes for success in life (see eudaimonia). People may not desire, or value, what they need; hence peoples’ real interests may not be revealed by their immediate choices and preferences. Different political views will advocate different approaches to this divergence, particularly according to the degree to which they allow paternalistic interventions. See also capabilities.