Category: stage 3

Problems with utilitarianism: the case of chemical weapons tetsing

Utilitarianism holds a very powerful sway over our contemporary practical reason, whether we like it or not we tend to think in terms of welfare and cost-benefit analysis at the level of policy and law, if not at the level of individual actions. Given recent use of chemical weapons, Continue reading "Problems with utilitarianism: the case of chemical weapons tetsing"

PHi3001 Social Mobility, John Rawls, Sandel

The Guardian began an article from last week in this way:

 

David Cameron has conceded that there was insufficient social mobility in British society and said it was the job of the government to raise the aspirations of people from poor backgrounds to get top jobs in public life.

 

Cameron is responding to the criticisms of an ex-PM, John Major, Continue reading "PHi3001 Social Mobility, John Rawls, Sandel"

PHi3001 Sceptics and might is right

Sceptics are resistant and if they want to bite the bullet and avoid a normative agenda then the claim that might is right is hard to derail. However, they — the sceptics — often cannot resist a claim about the promotion of the interests of a specific class and implicitly assert a normative agenda.

 

Next week, I want to start with a tutorial on paternalism. Read Berlin (available in blackboard) and then think about these berlin tutorial questions.  Above all, think about a government with the power to choose what you wear and which job you do. Why shouldn’t it have this power? Answers, puzzles and comments can be posted into the comments/replies below.  You only need to log in with your normal university username.