Equality and preferential treatment

Resource Information

The work Equality and preferential treatment represents a distinct intellectual or artistic creation found in University of Missouri-St. Louis Libraries. This resource is a combination of several types including: Work, Language Material, Books.

Label

Equality and preferential treatment

Statement of responsibility

edited by Marshall Cohen, Thomas Nagel, and Thomas Scanlon ; contributors, Ronald Dworkin [and others]

Contributor

• Dworkin, Ronald
• Nagel, Thomas, 1937-
• Scanlon, Thomas
• Cohen, Marshall

Subject

• Reverse discrimination -- Law and legislation -- United States
• Discrimination -- Law and legislation -- United States
• Discrimination -- United States
• Equality before the law -- United States

Language

eng

Summary

These essays, with one exception originally published in Philosophy & Public Affairs, consider the moral problems associated with improving the social and economic position of disadvantaged groups. If the situation of women and minorities improves so that their opportunities are equal to those of more favored groups, will they then be in a competitive position conducive to equal achievement? If not, can preferential hiring or preferential admission to educational institutions be justified? The contributors explore the complexities of this problem from several points of view. The discussions in Part I are more theoretical and concentrate on the application to this case of general considerations from ethical theory. The discussions in Part II also take up theoretical questions, but they start from specific problems about the constitutionality and the effectiveness of certain methods of achieving equality and counteracting discrimination. The two groups of essays demonstrate admirably the close connection between moral philosophy and questions of law and policy. The issues discussed include compensation, liability, victimization, the significance of group membership, the intrinsic importance of racial, sexual, or meritocratic criteria, and the overall effects of preferential policies. -- Back cover

Member of

• Philosophy & public affairs
• Philosophy & public affairs reader

Cataloging source

DLC

Dewey number

323.4/0973

Index

no index present

LC call number

KF4755.A75

LC item number

E64

Literary form

non fiction

Nature of contents

bibliography

Series statement

Philosophy & public affairs reader