The Fairness and Justice Approach

1. The Fairness and Justice Approach Jennifer Dobbs James Leonhard Wes Reinke Julie Schmitz LP5 Thursday 1:00pm

2. Summary • The teachings of the ancient Greek philosopher Aristotle, “Equals should be treated equally and unequalsinequally.”

3. Summary

4. Summary • Fairness requires consistency in the way people are treated. • Unless there is a morally justifiable reason for treating them differently.

5. Summary • John Rawls develops principles of justice through use of an artificial device he calls Original position, in which everyone decides principles of justice from behind a veil of ignorance.

6. Contributor • John Rawls • (February 21, 1921 – November 24, 2002) • American philosopher • Harvard professor • Wrote “A Theory of Justice “(1971)

7. Veil of Ignorance • This "veil“ essentially blinds people to all facts about themselves that might cloud what notion of justice is developed.

8. Equal Liberty Principle • “Each person is to have an equal right to the most extensive scheme of equal basic liberties compatible with a similar scheme of liberties for others.”

9. Basic Liberties • Political liberty • Freedom of speech and assembly • Liberty of conscience • Freedom of personal property • Freedom from arbitrary arrest

10. The Difference Principle • Social and economic inequalities should be arranged so that they are to be of the greatest benefit to the least-advantaged members of society.

11. Feminist Critics • Injustices embedded in familial relations. • Failed to account for injustices

12. Robert Paul Wolff • Apology for the status quo • Possibility of injustice

13. Egalitarian Critics • AmartyaSen • Norman Daniels PhD

14. Current Ethical DilemmaHealth Care Reform • Healthcare insurance • 940 Billion • New Taxes

15. Current Ethical Delimma • How fair is each action? • Does it treat everyone equally? • Does it discriminate?

16. Review • What is the Fairness or Justice Approach? • What is the Veil of Ignorance? • Who criticized the theory?