Social Contract Theory

Thomas Hobbes

  • moral rules are rules rational individuals would agree to for their mutual benefit

  • enter into contract to escape state of nature

  • state of nature = state of war

    • why?

    • so similar in nature that no one naturally enjoys dominance over other people/things

    • same basic needs

    • scarcity of things

    • we are primarily self-interested, and have strong desire for self-preservation

  • moral rules are a tool that allow people to escape the state of nature

  • we agree to constrain our behaviour in accordance with certain rules, in order to live better than we otherwise would

objections

  1. does not explain all of morality

  2. where there are no agreements, nothing would be moral or immoral

John Rawls

not a complete ethical theory, but a theory of distributive justice

distributive justice: a term to refer to just distribution of goods

Rawls = social contract theorist

thinks that principles of distribution arise from contract between people they govern

principles of distribution ← hypothetical agreement

two key concepts

  1. veil of ignorance

  2. original position

two principles

  1. principle of maximal equal basic liberties

  2. a) principle of fair equality of opportunity

    1. each person should have a meaningful opportunity to attain employment, education, and positions of power

  3. b) difference principle

    1. social + economic equality, unless inequality benefits everyone, especially those in the worst off group

lexical priority = 1, 2a, 2b

so fundamental rights and liberties cannot be compromised for economic advantage

objections

  1. difference principle is not the best way to achieve tolerable situation for worst off

  2. difference principle is unfair