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Contractualism and justice (4)

Contractualism and justice (4). Methodological issues. Util defense of impartial, sympathetic observer (ISO). Insures objectivity without rationalism Accounts for motivation better than rationalism Insures impartiality required by justice. Rawls on objectivity.

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Contractualism and justice (4)

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  1. Contractualismand justice (4) Methodological issues

  2. Util defense of impartial, sympathetic observer (ISO) • Insures objectivity without rationalism • Accounts for motivation better than rationalism • Insures impartiality required by justice

  3. Rawls on objectivity • Contractualism can provide a 3rd conception of objectivity • Common rationality and constraints of OP lead to agreement

  4. Rawls on motivation • Contractualism can provide a plausible account of motivation • Citizens under JF are motivated by a desire that their conduct be justifiable to others on grounds all can reasonably accept

  5. Rawls on impartiality • The ISO method confuses impartiality with impersonality: • It evaluates all potential benefits and costs in terms of a single person’s desires • Thus only the size of an increment in welfare matters, not who receives that increment • The OP insures the impartiality that justice requires: each citizen as such is a source of valid claims, regardless of whether honoring those claims would provide the largest increments in welfare

  6. L against JF on method (1) • The “grades” example shows that the OP is the wrong method for determining principles of justice • Reply: The grades example concerns a particular transaction within a basic structure; the OP is for design of the basic structure

  7. L against JF on method (2) • Reason discloses natural libertarian rights to personal freedom, private property and free exchange • The OP ignores this and sees basic institutions as a matter for collective decision • Reply: Not everyone can be expected to agree with the metaphysical doctrine of natural law. We must use a method that respects this fact.

  8. Two more objections to JF: • L: JF exploits the better off • U: JF might cost too much in terms of human welfare • Partial reply: the Kantian nature of JF

  9. Kantian elements of JF • Appeal to practical reason • Respect for persons as ends • Ideal of autonomy • Priority of right

  10. Respect for persons as ends • Principles selected are those to which no one could reasonably object • Principles selected embody a concern for satisfaction of everyone’s basic needs • Thus the difference principle does not exploit the more advantaged

  11. Ideal of autonomy • Parties in the OP are not bound by any given moral values • They are not bound by desires associated with any particular conception of the good • Citizens live by principles they legislate for themselves

  12. Priority of right • Kant: foregone pleasure for the sake of what’s right is not a moral cost • Rawls: foregone social welfare for the sake of justice is not a moral cost • This responds to the utilitarian criticism

  13. Appeal to practical reason • Agreement in the OP is like the CI procedure • Both employ a publicity constraint • Both employ a veil of ignorance

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