Weighing Values and Balancing Interests
Jerusalem: Israel Democracy Institute, 2008
11 Pages Posted: 13 Jan 2009
Date Written: January 15, 2009
Abstract
One of the central normative questions regards a decision between conflicting moral values. A decision of this nature is often required in disciplines such as philosophy, economics and law. According to common terminology, a decision between conflicting values reflects a balance of values, considerations or interests. Several types of questions arise in this context. One category includes substantive questions: which values exist, which considerations should be derived from these values, what is the degree of importance of these considerations, and which principles should be established for deciding between conflicting considerations? Another category includes institutional questions: which individual or body should decide normative questions, and should the normative nature of the decision be manifest or concealed? This paper is an abstract of a book that considers general aspects concerning these questions.
Keywords: Values, Considerations, Interests, Weighing, Balancing
JEL Classification: K10, K30, B40
Suggested Citation: Suggested Citation