CAPPE. Centre For Applied Philosophy and Public Ethics. Upcoming Events

UPCOMING EVENTS IN CANBERRA

CONFERENCES

SEMINARS

The Centre presents a series of weekly seminars at the ANU in Canberra. In 2011, seminars will usually be held on Wednesdays at 4:00pm, in the Seminar Room C, Coombs Building (Building 09), The Australian National University.

Next Canberra Seminar:

Wednesday 7th December: Nicholas Barry (LaTrobe), Coombs Building, Seminar Room D

Title: Against the Option-Brute Distinction

This paper argues against the distinction between option luck and brute luck, which is central to most orthodox accounts of luck egalitarianism. The first half of the paper highlights a number of problems with the option-brute distinction, as it is commonly presented in the literature. It argues that some instances of option luck inequality are inconsistent with the underlying motivation of the luck egalitarian project, and that the option-brute distinction, at least on Dworkin's formulation, is insufficiently sensitive to the way background inequalities shape individual choices. Whilst G.A Cohen's more nuanced formulation overcomes the latter problem by focusing on the genuineness of choices, it does not avoid the first problem of non-compensable option luck. The second half of the paper sketches a theory of luck egalitarianism that avoids the problematic option-brute distinction by focusing more directly on the relationship between choices and outcomes, and it responds to a number of recent criticisms of this revised formulation of the theory from supporters and critics of the broader luck egalitarian project.

Enquiries to Scott Wisor: scott.wisor@anu.edu.au