Fairness : theory & practice of distributive justice / Nicholas Rescher.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Rescher, Nicholas.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Distributive justice.

Wealth--Moral and ethical aspects.

Wealth.

Fairness.

Physical Description:

xiii, 134 pages ; 24 cm

Place of Publication:

New Brunswick, N.J. : Transaction Publishers, [2002]

Contents:

Preface: Distributive Justice ix

1. A Look Ahead ix

2. The Task of a Theory of Distributive Justice xi

1. Treating Claims Impartially 1

1. Claims and Their Basis 1

2. Fair Shares 9

3. Fairness and Advantage 13

4. Fair Division 15

5. Equality before the State 17

6. Impartiality 21

2. Abstract Fairness and Claim Proportionality 25

1. Strict Fairness 25

2. Two Basic Principles 28

3. On Objectivity: Strict Fairness is not Subjective 30

4. Fairness and Procedural Appropriateness 32

5. Allocating Fair Shares 34

6. Randomness: A Last Resort 36

7. Egalitarian Justifications of Proportionality in Distribution 38

8. Negativities 39

9. Different Sorts of Claims 40

3. The Liabilities and Assets of Fairness 45

1. Fairness Does not Seek Popularity nor Honor Power 45

2. Distributive Desiderata 46

3. A Variety of Allocation Principles 50

4. Indivisible Goods Need not Defeat Fairness 51

5. Fairness Can Accommodate Shortfalls and Windfalls 52

4. Going Beyond Fairness? Subjective Equity and Benevolent Allocation 55

1. Subjective Evaluation and Pragmatic Equity 55

2. Subjective Equity and Paternalism 59

3. Paternalistic Benevolence in Distribution: The Advantages of Allocation by Max-Value Equity 62

4. Further Examples 68

5. Negativities 74

6. Unreasonable and/or Deceptive Valuations 76

7. Affective Involvement 77

8. A Lesson 79

5. Probabilistic Expectations: Dividing Prospective Gains in Risk Situations: The Historical Background 81

1. Expectations Generalized 84

2. The Leibniz-Keynes Doctrine 86

3. The Problem of Adequacy 88

6. Predominantism: Limits of Proportionism in Pre-Ownership 91

1. Proportionalism vs. Predominance 91

2. A Historical Interlude 95

3. Leibniz and Keynes at Sea? 97

4. Why Predominantism in Ownership Cases 98

5. The Lesson 101

7. Dividing Credit for Discoveries: Limits of Proportionalism in Teamwork 103

1. Distributive vs. Collective Cooperation 103

2. Principles of Credit Allocation 106

3. Fairness Sustained 108

8. The Pragmatic Rationale of Distribution Principles 111

1. Epistemic vs. Moral Credit/Discredit 111

2. A Difference of Aims 115

3. A Look at the Law 117

4. Further Perspectives 118

5. The Big Picture: Functionalistic Pragmatism 120.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references (pages 125-131) and index.

ISBN:

0765801108

OCLC:

48678728