contract theory

Question 1

what are some advantages of contract theory?

Answer 1

Flexibility – without some overarching theory of good,
CTs can be adjusted to reflect what people actually value.
Personal Autonomy – CTs don’t sum up individual preferences. It’s not about the greatest good for the greatest number
Acceptance – there’s an emphasis on cooperation and on contracts that people would be willing to accept.

Question 2

Hobbes’ Laws of Nature

Answer 2

1) Seek peace and follow it
2) Be willing when others are to lay down our right to all
things and be content with so much freedom towards others as we would allow others against us.
3) Men perform their covenants made.
(if you can’t remember all 19 laws, remember the golden rule)

Laws of Morality = Laws of Nature

Question 3

Hobbes prisioner’s dilemma

Answer 3

2 members of a criminal gang are arrested and imprisoned. each prisoner is in solitary confinement with no means of communication. The prosecutors lack sufficient evidence to convict the 2 criminals. They hope to get both sentenced to a year in prison on a lesser charge. Simultaneously, the prosecutors offer each prisoner a bargain. Each prisoner is given the opportunity either to: betray the other by testifying that the other committed the crime, or to cooperate with the other by remaining silent. The offer is:
If A and B each betray the other, each of them serves 2 years in prison
If A betrays B but B remains silent, A will be set free and B will serve 3 years in prison (and vice versa)
If A and B both remain silent, both of them will only serve 1 year in prison (on the lesser charge)
Similar to State of Nature, no incentive to cooperate.

Question 4

Hobbes State of Nature

Answer 4

State of War
-everyone has an equal right to all goods
-everyone is equally capable of obtaining these goods
state of war doesn’t mean being in conflict, it means you’re always ready for conflict. this threatens our self preservation and keeps us from enjoying a comfortable life (2 fundamental interests).
way out of state of nature is through cooperation

Question 5

Hobbes 3rd Law of Nature

Answer 5

precondition for justice. it must be in place before we can get out of the state of nature.

but it’s not rational to obey the third law- we cant expect others to perform their covenants UNLESS their is an “absolute sovereign” in place to keep and enforce the laws of nature.

3rd law has no right/wrong until 3rd law is in place.

Question 6

The fool’s challenge

Answer 6

for Hobbes, rationality always triumphs justice

The Fool is someone who doesn’t keep his covenants in order to benefit himself. This means The Fool is violating the 3rd Law of Nature. But if he’s being rational in doing so, Hobbes’ framework falls apart. It’s no longer rational to cooperate.

Question 7

Hobbes reply to the Fool’s Challenge

Answer 7

The fool will only succeed through luck. Eventually he will get caught. the fool will be known as the promise breaker and then no one will make covenants with him.

thus the fool is not being rational since he cannot reap the rewards of cooperation

‘iterative’ situation- it repeats

Question 8

How does Hobbes contradict himself

Answer 8

He says we need a sovereign in order to make
promise-keeping the rational thing to do. But if
it’s rational to keep our covenants in the State
of Nature, then it looks like a sovereign isn’t
needed after all