CAPPE

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

Previous Seminars in Canberra

2011

2010

2009

2008

2007

Seminars In Melbourne

The Centre presents regular seminars at the University of Melbourne. Seminars will normally be held on Wednesdays at 2:15pm to 4pm in the Moot Court Room, Ground Floor, Old Quadrangle (not to be confused with the Mooting Court in the new Law Building). Click here for future seminars.

Next Melbourne seminar

To be announced

Enquiries to Emma Larking: larking@unimelb.edu.au or 61 3 8344 3855

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Seminars in Wagga Wagga

The Centre presents regular seminars on the Wagga Wagga campus of Charles Sturt University. These are held on Tuesdays at 5:00 pm in Room 181, Marchant Hall unless otherwise stated.

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Enquiries to Dr Daniel Cohen: Daniel.Cohen@anu.edu.au or +61 (02) 6125-1741

CONFERENCES

Ethics in Financial Transactions & Society: The Way Forward

September 17 and 18, 2011
University of Melbourne

This is the fourth in a series of conference on ethics-based financial transactions. The scope of the conference is wide, including Islamic/Jewish/Christian financial ethics; prudential regulations and ethics; law and ethics; business ethics; investor protection; etc.
Participants include: Mohamed Ariff, Professor of Finance, Bond University, Abdullah Saeed Professor & Director, National Centre for Excellence in Islamic Studies, University of Melbourne; Andrew Alexandra, Director CAPPE, University of Melbourne; Constant Mews, Professor of Religion, Monash University; Charles Sampford, Director, Key Centre for Ethics, Justice and Governance, Griffith University.
For further information Click Here

Human Rights: Old Dichotomies Revisited

November 25-26, 2011
Sydney Law School, Australia

The conference will bring together the leading international and Australian scholars in jurisprudence and in international human-rights law to reflect upon the traditional, 'classical' dilemmas and taxonomies in the philosophy of human rights, in the light of recent developments in theories of rights and in the international law of human rights.

Keynote Speakers: Professor Tom Campbell, Centre for Applied Philosophy and Public Ethics (CAPPE).Professor Leslie Green, Oxford University. Professor David Kinley, University of Sydney. Professor Susan Marks, London School of Economics. Professor Thomas Pogge, Yale University and CAPPE. Professor Jeremy Waldron, New York University & Oxford University. Professor Neil Walker, University of Edinburgh.
Click Here for more information