Contractualism

Question 1

Contractualism key words:

Answer 1

• contract
• how we should govern ourselves
• political
• alternative to utilitarianism

Question 2

The social contract:

Answer 2

• to escape egoism, we agree to be governed
• recognize certain obligations we have to each other
• I won’t hurt you, you won’t hurt me, and we both agree to be governed by this

Question 3

Social contracts are only valid if _____ ____.

Answer 3

consented to

Question 4

3 types of consent:

Answer 4

• actual
• tacit
• hypothetical

Question 5

Actual consent:

Answer 5

• factually incorrect

- an actual signed contract

Question 6

Tacit consent is insufficient for morality to arise for 2 reasons:

Answer 6

• no other options = no consent

- coercion/force present = no consent

Question 7

Hypothetical consent:

Answer 7

• most compelling
• says “what would rational people agree to if asked”
• focuses on the reasons people have for giving consent

Question 8

Athlete signed contract with the league is the only way to use _____ contract. We need to …

Answer 8

• actual
• have all the facts
• clear but limited

Question 9

Sport culture contract:

Answer 9

details are debatable

Question 10

Always specify the _______ _______.

Answer 10

contractual arrangement

Question 11

People don’t give consent to ______ ______; _____ gain legitimacy from consent.

Answer 11

• legitimate contracts

- contracts

Question 12

In contractualism used as moral principle, we need to treat people by principles……. instead of principles……

Answer 12

• they could not object to

- everyone would agree to

Question 13

Reasonable objections must have 2 features:

Answer 13

• must be reasonable

- deals with more than well-being

Question 14

Describe how an objection must be reasonable:

Answer 14

• if something negatively affects me, I can object
• does it affect others even more?
• if so, I have to withdraw my objection
• ex. saying no to full contact to avoid injuring knee

Question 15

Describe how an objection must deal with more than well being:

Answer 15

burdens applied without respect for me as a person are unjustifiable, even if they produce equal well being

Question 16

Discuss the green spaces issue as a utilitarian.

Answer 16

• ban everyone but the 10% of people who are white
• no easy objection to this solution can be mounted by utilitarianism
• critique of distributive justice

Question 17

Discuss the green spaces issue as a contractualist.

Answer 17

• more than pleasure needs to be accounted for
• things have to be fair, utilitarian only looking for pleasure
• justice matters

Question 18

Reasons for objection in green spaces issue:

Answer 18

object to being denied access to green spaces because it is racist

Question 19

Contractualism deals with what we ____ one another, not just _____/_____.

Answer 19

• owe

- pleasures/pains

Question 20

Utilitarianism is ______ whereas contractualism is not.

Answer 20

aggregate

Question 21

Under contractualism, we must be able to _____ our reasons against objections.

Answer 21

justify

Question 22

If something brings greater happiness but is ______, it is still wrong.

Answer 22

unjustifiable

Question 23

Contractualism can sometimes lead us to…

Answer 23

intuitively unethical situations

Question 24

Discuss swimmers on the rocks scenario:

Answer 24

• if you go to the rock with 6, the objection of person on 1 rock would be that they would die
• if you go to he rock with 1, all 6 would have the same objection
• the objections of the 6 rock don’t add up, so they have the same objection
• scrambled justification

Question 25

How can contactualism be too demanding? Give an example.

Answer 25

• how can you object to saving someone’s life, even if it costs you greatly?
• What reason do you have to object that would be better than their reason for excruciating pain/dying?
• Only real reason would be that it would make you suffer more or die if you were to help them
• you have to help everyone that has a stronger burden (poverty, have to rob a bank, getting caught may or may not be strong enough)

Question 26

Donating money with contractualism:

Answer 26

shouldn’t we all be donating all our money to save the starving even if it makes us much worse off, but not starving?

Question 27

3 steps to contractualism:

Answer 27

1. identify the stakeholders
2. why would the stakeholder groups object to your action?
3. compare those, find the strongest and go with it. You are morally obligated to follow it.

Question 28

Who are the stakeholders is the swimmers on the rocks situation?

Answer 28

• people related to the swimmers (one of the swimmers is a dad, their child objects to you not saving him) - Friends?
• Life saving society (for the lifeguards; could get sued)
• owners of the resort?