What Is a Need?

A need is a requirement for survival. It is generally considered to include food, shelter and health care. It can also include psychological needs like self-esteem and sense of security. Those who can’t satisfy their needs may experience severe mental and physical illnesses. However, not all people have the same need. For example, some people have a need for education but others don’t. Moreover, the need for a particular item can change over time. For instance, a four-bedroom house might be considered a need for a family with several children but might become a want when the kids grow up and leave home.

The need for something can motivate a person to achieve it. The need for money can make a person work very hard to earn it. In fact, some people are willing to do anything to get their hands on money. They even make use of loopholes in the law to achieve their goals. In some cases, this can lead to dangerous situations.

An article is a piece of writing written to spread information about a certain topic. It can be in the form of a newspaper, magazine or journal. The aim of an article is to educate and entertain the reader. It can also be used to provide news, advice or compare products and services. In order to write an article, one must identify the audience they are targeting and pick a suitable topic that impacts them in some way. The tone and language should also match the intended audience.

It is important to distinguish between needs and wants when creating a budget. For example, a basic need would be food, housing and medical care while a want could be a car or a new television. Similarly, the need to be able to travel by train may be a need while the desire to drive a fast car is a want.

The modal verb need is sometimes used in the present tense, especially in British English. It is rarely used in U.S. English and is more often used in questions and negative sentences. In addition, it can be a verb in phrases such as need not apply and need I say more?

In the context of healthcare, the need to receive a specific treatment is usually judged on a clinical basis. This involves assessing a patient’s condition and the likelihood of the required outcome. At a societal level, judgments of need are generally based on resource constraints and cultural norms. In contrast, judgements of need at an individual level are based on a rational identification of needs and the consideration of actual experiences. These are also referred to as need-based assessments. They are different from demand-based assessments, which are based on resource allocations and consumer preferences. The difference between these two types of assessments is emphasized in the Capability Approach developed by Amartya Sen and Martha Nusbaum.