Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®

Applied Ethics Commons

Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®

Philosophy Faculty Publications

Discipline
Institution
Keyword
Publication Year

Articles 31 - 36 of 36

Full-Text Articles in Applied Ethics

Ross On Desert And Punishment, Jeffrey Moriarty Jan 2006

Ross On Desert And Punishment, Jeffrey Moriarty

Philosophy Faculty Publications

W. D. Ross thinks it is good, other things equal, that people get what they deserve. But he denies that “the principle of punishing the vicious, for the sake of doing so, is that on which the state should proceed in its bestowal of punishments.” Ross offers two main arguments for this denial: what I call the “scope argument” and the “state's purpose argument.” I argue that both fail. In doing so, I illuminate Ross's distinctive views about desert and the state.


The Epistemological Argument Against Desert, Jeffrey Moriarty Jan 2005

The Epistemological Argument Against Desert, Jeffrey Moriarty

Philosophy Faculty Publications

Most contemporary political philosophers deny that justice requires giving people what they deserve. According to a familiar anti-desert argument, the influence of genes and environment on people's actions and traits undermines all desert-claims. According to a less familiar – but more plausible – argument, the influence of genes and environment on people's actions and traits undermines some desert-claims (or all desert-claims to an extent). But, it says, we do not know which ones (or to what extent). This article examines this ‘epistemological’ argument against desert. It gives reason to believe that it fails, emphasizing the importance of justice relative to …


On The Relevance Of Political Philosophy To Business Ethics, Jeffrey Moriarty Jan 2005

On The Relevance Of Political Philosophy To Business Ethics, Jeffrey Moriarty

Philosophy Faculty Publications

The central problems of political philosophy (e.g., legitimate authority, distributive justice) mirror the central problems of business ethics. The question naturally arises: should political theories be applied to problems in business ethics? If a version of egalitarianism is the correct theory of justice for states, for example, does it follow that it is the correct theory of justice for businesses? If states should be democratically governed by their citizens, should businesses be democratically managed by their employees? Most theorists who have considered these questions, including John Rawls in Political Liberalism, and Robert Phillips and Joshua Margolis in a 1999 article, …


Do Ceos Get Paid Too Much?, Jeffrey Moriarty Jan 2005

Do Ceos Get Paid Too Much?, Jeffrey Moriarty

Philosophy Faculty Publications

In 2003, CEOs of the 365 largest U.S. corporations were paid on average $8 million, 301 times as much as factory workers. This paper asks whether CEOs get paid too much. Appealing to widely recognized moral values, I distinguish three views of justice in wages: the agreement view, the desert view, and the utility view. I argue that, no matter which view is correct, CEOs get paid too much. I conclude by offering two ways CEO pay might be reduced.


Against The Asymmetry Of Desert, Jeffrey Moriarty Jan 2003

Against The Asymmetry Of Desert, Jeffrey Moriarty

Philosophy Faculty Publications

The concept of desert has traditionally played a central role in theories of both distributive and retributive justice. But while desert continues to play a central role in most contemporary theories of retributive justice, it plays little or no role in most contemporary theories of distributive justice. This asymmetric treatment of desert is prima facie strange. If people should have the punishment they deserve, shouldn’t they also have the social benefits they deserve? I first offer an intuitive argument against the asymmetry, then consider and reject four potential justifications of it. I do not claim that the asymmetry cannot be …


Desert And Distributive Justice In A Theory Of Justice, Jeffrey Moriarty Jan 2002

Desert And Distributive Justice In A Theory Of Justice, Jeffrey Moriarty

Philosophy Faculty Publications

This paper proceeds as follows. First, I present the standard interpretation of Rawls’s account of desert. I then show how this interpretation is inadequate, bringing to light certain subtleties of the account that give it entirely new meaning. Next, I examine the criticisms of Nozick and Sher and show how, due to misconceptions of Rawls’s account of desert, they fail. Finally, I offer a criticism of Rawls’s theory of justice based on the correct interpretation of his account of desert.