Comments on: If desert works, then why? http://www.willwilkinson.net/flybottle/2004/08/18/if-desert-works-then-why/ The Sweet Release of Reason Fri, 29 Aug 2008 17:23:35 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.1 By: David http://www.willwilkinson.net/flybottle/2004/08/18/if-desert-works-then-why/#comment-695 David Wed, 31 Dec 1969 16:00:00 +0000 http://www.willwilkinson.net/flybottle/?p=423#comment-695 Will, I have thoroughly enjoyed this thread. Especially since I come to this from a non-philosophical background/education. And having only started to read Rawls, it makes it that much more fun. However, reading this blog and others on this vein, its as though I have become Tim Allen, recieving advice over the fence from Wilson. Oh, well such is life. Will, I have thoroughly enjoyed this thread. Especially since I come to this from a non-philosophical background/education. And having only started to read Rawls, it makes it that much more fun.

However, reading this blog and others on this vein, its as though I have become Tim Allen, recieving advice over the fence from Wilson. Oh, well such is life.

]]> By: dan http://www.willwilkinson.net/flybottle/2004/08/18/if-desert-works-then-why/#comment-696 dan Wed, 31 Dec 1969 16:00:00 +0000 http://www.willwilkinson.net/flybottle/?p=423#comment-696 ...treating people as if they deserve things promotes utility because the practice aligns itself with their moral self-conception... I agree that this is one of the reasons why desert promotes utility, but it gets us into a chicken & egg thing. Why do people believe that they do deserve things? Probably (at least in part) because people are treated as if they deserve things. …treating people as if they deserve things promotes utility because the practice aligns itself with their moral self-conception…

I agree that this is one of the reasons why desert promotes utility, but it gets us into a chicken & egg thing. Why do people believe that they do deserve things? Probably (at least in part) because people are treated as if they deserve things.

]]> By: Will Wilkinson http://www.willwilkinson.net/flybottle/2004/08/18/if-desert-works-then-why/#comment-697 Will Wilkinson Wed, 31 Dec 1969 16:00:00 +0000 http://www.willwilkinson.net/flybottle/?p=423#comment-697 Dan, My hypothesis was that people believe they deserve things because certain sentiments of fairness linking affort to reward are hardwired in by evolution. Beings who happen to have a tendency to divide the cooperative surplus according to input to cooperation found that they ended up with larger surpluses and bigger shares all round. So certain moral sentiments got built in to help promote this kind of cooperative behavior. So we come into the world believing that we deserve things and treating others as if they deserve things. Our experience of treating others and being treated as deserving of course reinforces our native moral sentiments about justice and fair division. Dan, My hypothesis was that people believe they deserve things because certain sentiments of fairness linking affort to reward are hardwired in by evolution. Beings who happen to have a tendency to divide the cooperative surplus according to input to cooperation found that they ended up with larger surpluses and bigger shares all round. So certain moral sentiments got built in to help promote this kind of cooperative behavior. So we come into the world believing that we deserve things and treating others as if they deserve things. Our experience of treating others and being treated as deserving of course reinforces our native moral sentiments about justice and fair division.

]]> By: Majikthise http://www.willwilkinson.net/flybottle/2004/08/18/if-desert-works-then-why/#comment-698 Majikthise Wed, 31 Dec 1969 16:00:00 +0000 http://www.willwilkinson.net/flybottle/?p=423#comment-698 <strong>Tipping the scales: desert and reflective</strong> Will Wilkinson writes: Anyway, I've claimed that anti-Rawlsian intuitions about desert run deep in our moral psychology. I disagree. Granted, desert intuitions carry a lot of weight, but they are not unassailable under reflective equilibrium. Desert ni... Tipping the scales: desert and reflective

Will Wilkinson writes: Anyway, I’ve claimed that anti-Rawlsian intuitions about desert run deep in our moral psychology. I disagree. Granted, desert intuitions carry a lot of weight, but they are not unassailable under reflective equilibrium. Desert ni…

]]> By: Majikthise http://www.willwilkinson.net/flybottle/2004/08/18/if-desert-works-then-why/#comment-699 Majikthise Wed, 31 Dec 1969 16:00:00 +0000 http://www.willwilkinson.net/flybottle/?p=423#comment-699 <strong>Jeb Bush, apostate?</strong> "I think it's horrific that people would do that, I don't sense that is the defining element of this storm, though."--Gov. Jeb Bush on rampant post-Charley price gouging in Florida. [SPI] Some might argue that "price gouging" is an unreasonably Jeb Bush, apostate?

“I think it’s horrific that people would do that, I don’t sense that is the defining element of this storm, though.”–Gov. Jeb Bush on rampant post-Charley price gouging in Florida. [SPI] Some might argue that “price gouging” is an unreasonably

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