Philosophy Notes

Two principles of justice:

Liberty Principle: Each person participating in a practice, or affected by it, has an equal right to the most extensive basic liberty compatible with a similar liberty for all

Difference Principle: Inequalities are arbitrary unless:

a.      It is reasonable to expect that they will work out for everyone’s advantage

b.     The positions and offices to which they are attached, or from which they may be gained, are open to all.

J.S. Mills

·       Advocates that humans ought to live a good life by developing our “higher” human faculties.

·       Simultaneously holds that diversity among lifestyles is essential for a society to promote this development.

5 Tenets of Monism

·       Essential Similarity of human nature

·       The similarity of human nature has ontological priority over differences between individuals and cultures

·       The similarity is transcendent and essential

·       The similar nature can be known (although it might not be easy to discover)

·       Acting according to it constitutes a good life

Utilitarian Ethics

Maximize good in all actions. (“Good” is usually defined as happiness)