Egalitarianism and the Separateness of Persons

Egalitarianism and the Separateness of Persons. Alex Voorhoeve and Marc Fleurbaey. Utilitas 24 (2012): 381-98.

27 Pages Posted: 9 Aug 2021

See all articles by Marc Fleurbaey

Marc Fleurbaey

Paris School of Economics

Alex Voorhoeve

Philosophy, Logic and Scientific Method, LSE

Date Written: 2012

Abstract

The difference between the unity of the individual and the separateness of persons requires that there be a shift in the moral weight that we accord to changes in utility when we move from making intrapersonal tradeoffs to making interpersonal tradeoffs. We examine which forms of egalitarianism can, and which cannot, account for this shift. We argue that a form of egalitarianism which is concerned only with the extent of outcome inequality cannot account for this shift. We also argue that a view which is concerned with both outcome inequality and with the unfairness of inequality in individuals’ expected utilities can account for this shift. Finally, we limn an alternative view, on which such inequalities are not intrinsically bad, but nonetheless determine the strength of individuals’ competing claims. We argue that this ‘Competing Claims View’ can also account for the shift.

Keywords: equality, separateness of persons, distributive ethics

Suggested Citation

Fleurbaey, Marc and Voorhoeve, Alex, Egalitarianism and the Separateness of Persons (2012). Egalitarianism and the Separateness of Persons. Alex Voorhoeve and Marc Fleurbaey. Utilitas 24 (2012): 381-98., Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=3885802 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.3885802

Marc Fleurbaey

Paris School of Economics ( email )

48 Boulevard Jourdan
Paris, 75014 75014
France

Alex Voorhoeve (Contact Author)

Philosophy, Logic and Scientific Method, LSE ( email )

Houghton Street
London, WC2A 2AE
United Kingdom

HOME PAGE: http://personal.lse.ac.uk/voorhoev

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