Chapter 13 The Social Contract Tradition Theory and

Chapter 13: The Social Contract Tradition: Theory and Its Attractions © 2021

Proceduralism Proceduralism: the view that we should begin moral inquiry without making any substantive moral assumptions but rather should devise a procedure that will tell us what steps we must take to distinguish right from wrong. © 2021

Contractarianism states: Actions are morally right just because they are permitted by rules that free, equal, and rational people would agree to live by, on the condition that others obey these rules as well. Contractarianism is a version of proceduralism. © 2021

Prisoner's Dilemmas A prisoner's dilemma is any situation in which all people would be better off if all could agree to scale back their pursuit of selfinterest. This happens in situations in which there is fierce competition for scarce resources: Example: Commercial fishing, political campaigns. © 2021

Prisoner's Dilemmas (2) An illustrative example BOB AL Remains Silent (cooperates) Confesses (betrays) Remains Silent (cooperates) 2, 2 6, 0 Confesses (betrays 0, 6 4, 4 • It’s in each person’s self interest to confess. But they would do best if they each cooperated. © 2021

Hobbes and the State of Nature The founder of modern contractarianism was Thomas Hobbes (1588 -1679). Hobbes imagined a state of nature, in which there is no central authority with the power to enforce its will on others. Life in the state of nature, Hobbes said, would be “solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short. ” To escape the state of nature, people would establish a social contract—a set of rules to promote social cooperation. © 2021

Rawls and the Veil of Ignorance The most famous twentieth-century social contract theorist was John Rawls (1921 -2002). Rawls claimed that the genuine moral standards are those that free, equal, and rational people would choose from behind a veil of ignorance. Veil of ignorance: an imaginary device that erases all knowledge of your distinctive traits. © 2021

Advantages of Contractarianism • Explains why morality is a social phenomenon. Explains and justifies the content of moral rules. © 2021

Advantages of Contractarianism (2) • Explains the objectivity of morality. Explains why it is sometimes acceptable to break the moral rules. © 2021

Advantages of Contractarianism (3) Explains why we have a basic moral duty to obey the law. Explains why the state is typically justified in punishing those who break the law. © 2021

Advantages of Contractarianism (4) • Explains why civil disobedience is sometimes justified. Other advantages? © 2021