Three philosophies and LD Debate Social Contract Ends Based – Kant Means Based - Utilitarianism

The Basics Society is the result of a decision by people to live together under agreed upon rules. We call those agreed upon rules the social contract. Everyone who lives in a community, agrees to obey the contract.

Social contract? Hypothetical agreement between people in state of nature. It is how people leave the state of nature and enter into society. In the state of nature people are totally free, but are insecure In society, all agree to allow themselves to be governed and bound by social contract. They exchange some of their rights/freedoms for more security Idea: in state of nature nobody has authority over anyone else: unless they agree to allow such authority governments are impossible. When they do, the resulting government has legitimacy (the right to rule over its people)

The Social Contract is reciprocal There are at least 3 classic social contract theories. The most commonly used one is John Locke’s Under Locke’s contract, the citizen gives up his right to catch, try and punish criminals, He gets security for his property (person and goods)

Natural rights Belong to all persons in the state of nature -- we give some of them up to gain something in return when we enter society Life, liberty and property becomes life, liberty and pursuit of happiness. The source of natural rights? God? The rational order of the universe? If the state violates its part of the contract, I am no longer bound by mine.

Hobbes Theory Men are only concerned with their own well- being Life in the state of nature is “nasty,brutish and short” Only by agreeing to be subject to an overarching, all powerful sovereign can men escape the state of nature.

Application to Our Resolution According to Locke, why should citizens obey the law? When and if they break the law, why does society have the right to punish them? Do you see some problems with Social Contract theory?

Ends Based Philosophies First a question. Presume that your value for the current resolution is justice. How do we ensure that justice is done? Two Possibilities: By ensuring the protection of society. (ends based) By ensuring that we provide the greatest good for the greatest number. (means based)

Kant for Starters All men are rational All men have innate worth and dignity We respect that worth and dignity by respecting their rational choices We should live the rule – “do to others, what you would accept if it was done to you.” OR “Do what you would be willing to have everyone do.” Categorical imperative…..

This is an ends based standard or VC What that means…. Applying Kant to the resolution: According to Kant , why should people obey the law? When and if they break the law, why does society have the right to punish them? Do you see some problems with Kant?

Means Based Philosophy or Standards - Utilitarianism Most famous : Mills, Bentham, “greatest good for the greatest number” Theory of utility

Two Kinds of Util Act utilitarianism Rule utilitarianism Act Utilitarianism is a utilitarian theory of ethics which states that the right action is the one which produces the greatest amount of happiness or pleasure for the greatest number of beings. Rule utilitarianism Act utilitarianism is opposed to rule utilitarianism, which states that the morally right action is the one that is in accordance with a moral rule whose general observance would create the most happiness

Application to our resolution According to Util, why should people obey the law? When and if they break the law, why does society have the right to punish them? Do you see some problems with Util?

Sources for this presentation Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/contractari anism/ http://www.soc.sbs.ohio- state.edu/classes/soc782/moody/class_3.ht m