PLCY 340 UNC Midterm

What is Hume’s Law

You cannot derive an “ought” from an “is”; factual statements do not automatically determine moral claims.

How does ethics relate to public policy

Ethics helps justify policy decisions by assessing fairness

What is a fact vs. a value in policy evaluation

Fact: descriptive statement about the world. Value: normative judgment about what is good

What is intrinsic vs. instrumental value

Intrinsic: valuable in itself. Instrumental: valuable as a means to an end.

What is subjective vs. objective theories of wellbeing

Subjective: wellbeing depends on individual experience/preferences. Objective: wellbeing depends on real goods or capabilities

What is preference satisfaction

Wellbeing is determined by how well a person’s preferences are fulfilled.

Objections to simple preference satisfaction

People may have misinformed or harmful preferences; fulfilling all preferences doesn’t always improve wellbeing.

What is ideal preference satisfaction

Wellbeing based on preferences one would have if fully informed and rational; informs policy by prioritizing enlightened choices.

What is hedonism

Wellbeing equals pleasure and absence of pain.

What is the experience machine objection

People value real experiences

What is the capability approach

Wellbeing depends on what people are able to do (capabilities) and achieve (functionings).

What is utilitarianism

Maximizing the total wellbeing of all affected individuals.

What is maximizing consequentialism

Choosing actions that produce the best overall outcomes

What is cost-benefit analysis (CBA)

Evaluates policies by comparing total benefits and costs

Objections to CBA

Ignores distribution

What is cost-effectiveness analysis

Compares policies based on achieving the same goal at lowest cost.

What is the leveling down objection

Reducing inequality by making better-off people worse off may not improve wellbeing.

Priority to the worse off

Ethical principle giving extra weight to improving the wellbeing of the least advantaged.

What is weighted beneficence

Moral principle that gives more weight to benefits for those worse off when evaluating policies.

Maximin principle

Choose the option that maximizes the minimum outcome; associated with Rawls’ justice theory.

Original position (Rawls)

Hypothetical scenario where individuals choose principles of justice behind a veil of ignorance about their position.

Contractualism

Ethical principles are justified if no one could reasonably reject them.

Fair equality of opportunity

Everyone should have the same opportunity to succeed

Difference principle

Social and economic inequalities are justified only if they benefit the least advantaged.

Formal vs. absolute equality of opportunity

Formal: legal barriers removed. Absolute: everyone has a genuine chance to achieve desired outcomes.

Natural lottery

Distribution of innate talents

Social lottery

Social circumstances (family wealth

Absolute mobility

Changes in average living standards across generations.

Relative mobility

Changes in social or economic rank across generations.

Individual/non-group-conscious assessment

Measures inequality among individuals without reference to social groups.

Group-conscious assessment

Measures inequality between socially defined groups (race

Structural inequality

Inequalities in life prospects caused by social structures

Example of structural inequality

Gender wage gap

Racial integration (Anderson)

Full inclusion and equal participation in social

Egalitarian pluralism (Shelby)

Justice requires desegregation and fairness but not mandated residential integration; allows communities to maintain social bonds.

Negative rights

Rights protecting individuals from interference (freedom of speech

Positive rights

Rights requiring action or provision (education

Libertarian view of rights

Emphasizes protection of individual liberty; minimal government interference.

Pareto optimality

A state where no one can be made better off without making someone else worse off.

Pareto improvement

A change making at least one person better off without making anyone worse off.

Market failure

When free markets do not achieve efficient or just outcomes.

Negative externality

When a person or firm’s actions impose costs on others (e.g.

Function of a Pigouvian tax

Corrects negative externalities by taxing harmful activities.

Wilt Chamberlain example

Illustrates that voluntary exchanges can produce inequality even in a just distribution.