Another interesting passage on the topic of fairness. Put your think cap on and start thinking !!
Chapter 10: The Veil of Ignorance
The twenty civilians selected to go and live on the Mars colony were set an unusual task. On the red planet there would be a number of goods, including accommodation, food, drink and luxury items. They had to decide, before they went out, on what basis those goods would be distributed. But crucially, they did not know what the most important task would be on the colony. All the work could be manual, or none of it. It might require great intelligence, it might be better suited to those less in need of mental stimulation.
The first suggestion made was that everything should be shared equally; from each according to their abilities, to each according to their needs. But then someone raised an objection. If there was lots of work to be done and someone refused to do their share, wouldn't it be unfair to reward them with an equal slice of the cake? Surely there needed to be an incentive to contribute?
The objection was accepted, but that just seems to lead to more problems. Fairness did not appear to mean the same as giving everyone the same. But what then did it mean?
Source: Chapter 3 of A Theory of Justice by John Rawls (Harvard University Press, 1971)
The Pig that Wants to be Eaten: 100 Experiments for the Armchair Philosopher by Julian Baggini (2005, PLUME). Picture from: Barnes & Nobles
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