Lecture 4: Contractualism

Question 1

What does this framework require?

Answer 1

consent, otherwise it is not morally enforceable

Question 2

What type of view is Contractualism?

Answer 2

social contract view

Question 3

The Social Contract

Answer 3

• political type of philosophy
• we recognize certain obligations we ahi etc each other as rational agents, if we want to live in a functional society we try to do the right thing
• if we both agree to a rule then we can get a long and do things
• only valid if consented to (what bind’s people together)

Question 4

3 Types of Consent

Answer 4

• actual
• tacit
• hypothetical

Question 5

Actual Consent

Answer 5

-factually incorrect (needs to govern us all in society)

Question 6

Tacit Consent

Answer 6

• insufficient for morality to arise because of 2 reasons; no other options = no consent and if there is coercion present there is not consent
• the only time consent is assumed is if you are present
• the assumption is baseless, reasonless for tacit consent (the only reason is the person is there)

Question 7

Hypothetical Consent

Answer 7

• most compelling

- what would rational people agree to if asked

Question 8

A social contract will always be applicable but:

Answer 8

will not give you the most guidance

Question 9

People don’t give consent to legitimate contracts:

Answer 9

contracts gain legitimacy from consent

Question 10

Contractualism: Moral Principle (Features)

Answer 10

treat people by principles they could not object to (have to follow this); is reasonable and deals with more than well-being

Question 11

Reasonable Objections

Answer 11

• must be reasonable: if something negatively affects me, if someone else haas a more significant objection withdraw mine, if it affects others more
• deals with more than well-being: burdens applied without respect for me as a person are unjustifiable, even if they produce equal well-being

Question 12

For Contractualists, what matters?

Answer 12

justice and pleasure, moral weight

Question 13

For Utilitarians, what matters?

Answer 13

pleasure

Question 14

Contractualism vs. Utilitarianism

Answer 14

• contractualism deals with what we owe one another, not just pleasures/pains (does not aggregate)
• utilitarianism is aggregated whereas contractualism is not
• under contractualism we have to justify our reasons against objections

Question 15

Criticisms to Contractualism

Answer 15

• it can lead us to intuitively unethical situations
• it can be too demanding
• has the problem of finding an objection that outweighs the other
• needs the idea of a social contract or else the idea doesn’t work