Introduction to Political Philosophy

The Value of Equality

As you read the material for the next class, keep the questions below in mind. To answer these questions you will have to reflect critically on what you have read and possibly re-read important passages. Keep in mind that there are two basic kinds of information that you need to look for in the readings.

  1. What are the main points or conclusions that an author accepts with respect to a particular issue?
  2. What are the reasons or important considerations that lead the author to accept that conclusion?

For our purposes, it is information of the latter sort (2) that will be our primary concern since our most basic task is to evaluate the reasons that are offered to support accepting one possible conclusion about an issue, rather than another. Although I strongly suggest that you write out brief answers to these questions, you do not have to turn in written responses. You do, however, need to be prepared to speak intelligently to these issues in the next class meeting.

Reading:

  • Thomas Scanlon, “When Does Equality Matter?” (handout).

Questions:

  1. What are the two features that Scanlon identifies with “genuine egalitarian reasons”?
  2. What are the five kinds of reasons against inequalities that Scanlon gives? In what ways are these “genuinely egalitarian” and in what ways are they not?
  3. Why is it morally upsetting that life expectancy and education is much worse in Malawi than in the U. S.? How is this different from the life expectancy and education being worse for African-Americans than Caucasian-Americans? What role does “genuinely equalitarian” reasoning play in each?
  4. Why is it morally upsetting that basic services in Jewish Israeli villages are worse than those in Israeli Arab villages? What role does “genuinely egalitarian” reasoning play in this?
  5. What is the argument that “equality of fair opportunity” and “procedural equality” separately lead to “equality of outcome”? Why is this troubling for designing political institutions?
  6. How does Scanlon’s analysis apply to education and executive compensation?
  7. How does Scanlon respond to the claim that equality conflicts with liberty? Is this a satisfactory response to the libertarian critics?

 

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