Notes: Money is always a good way of allocation goods or expressing thanks. A fixed salary can lead to a lazy environment. Where do competitive markets belong?
Fact 1: Moral Relativism is an ethics based on the individual, where everyone has their own personal morals and preferences.
Fact 2: We have drifted from having a market economy to having a market society.
Part 1:
Define the concept in one sentence, and list strengths and weakness of the concept.
1. Moral Relativism: Morality is just a personal preference. It’s good for the individual, however though it may benefit the individual it could affect those around them in a negative way.
2. Utilitarianism: Securing the greatest happiness for the largest amount of people. Strengths include, a common sense view in contemporary world, it is easy to understand and apply, can easily be extended to non humans. Some of the weaknesses include, that there are often unintended consequences of any action, and can be dehumanizing.
3. Deontology: Right action does not come from the calculation of consequences. The individual just has an obligation to do what is right. Some strengths include, that it places boundaries on human behavior, and it seeks universal human rights. Some weaknesses are, it emphasizes reason at the expense of emotions, and it’s difficult to include non humans.
4. Virtue Ethics: What qualities of a person lead to right actions, and is based on how virtuous an individual is. Virtuous people find the golden mean between two extremes and the best way to become virtuous is to follow those who you see are virtuous. Some strengths are it builds a bridge between reason and emotions, it stimulates critical self-examination and growth, and it begins at a level where everyone can start at. Some weaknesses however are, it may seem difficult to employ in public decision making, and it seems to commit the naturalistic fallacy of identifying the natural with the good.
5. Liberalism: A belief in strengthening liberty, that we should all protect and promote liberty for all people. Government should be in control of all justice and should create equality. Strengths are people are equal, and all citizens should be happy. Government is in complete control, not many local decisions being made.
Part 2:
1.What are some examples that Sandel provides of things that money CAN buy? One example that Sandel provides that money can buy, is the London eye’s lights which Coca-Cola bought. Another example is a prison cell upgrade which can be bought for around $70.
2. What are some examples of things that money CAN’T buy? The example that Sandel gave of something that money can’t buy is friendship. Money can’t buy friendship because that is not the basis on how friendship is made.
3. What is the difference between “market economies” and “market societies”? A market economy is a tool for organizing productive activity. While a market society is a society where everything is up for sale, it is a way of life.
Part 3:
Sandel opens a discussion about the moral acceptability of developing a free market for kidney (or other organs) transplants, and more briefly, prostitution.
1. Students and Sandel identify (at least) four objections to such a practice. List those objections. It could be used to exploit those who are desperate. The action of buying a kidney would be unfair because it would cost more and your life would have to be based on if you could afford one. Cut corners with safety it could cause medical health issues. Objectifying our body and sexuality.
2. Connect these objections to the concepts from Chapter Two. Which concept/s seem to be most in play here? The concepts from chapter two that seem to be most in play here is Moral Relativism, because people are viewing it all as just their own perspective, on a hard topic.
Part 4:
Reflect: Which definitions of justice resonate with your personal ethics? Why? The definition of justice that most resonates with my personal ethics would be justice as equality: The belief that everyone should get the same kind and amount of stuff. I think this because it evens out the playing field of life for everyone.
Connection: One connection to this that I can think of would be gender balances in areas such as jobs and universities. In some places there is a quota of a specific gender that must be met or cut off at.
