SOSC 2340 Lecture Notes - Lecture 4: Michael J. Sandel, Paternalism, Robert Nozick

• School: York University
• Department: Social Science
• Course: SOSC 2340
• Professor: Allan Greenbaum

Document Summary

Question/answers: what is the minimal state which libertarians advocate? pg. Rejects them in favour of historical principles of justice. A principle of justice which envisages a particular (just) pattern of distribution to which society"s distribution is to conform. Examples: equality of income and wealth, distribution of wealth according to need, maximizing social welfare (happiness) Ask not whether distribution conforms to a particular pattern but whether distribution came about by just means or through a just process. If it did, then each person is entitled to what s/he owns. One can justly take ownership of something in two ways: through original acquisition, through voluntary transfer (purchase or receipt as a gift). Acquiring wealth in these ways entitles you to your wealth. Libertarians hold that people should be allowed to do x if they voluntarily contract or agree to do x, and x does not infringe the rights of any third party.