Question 1

Eminent domain is the ancient right of government to take what from an individual?

Accepted Answer

Eminent domain is the right of the government to take private property for public use, provided that just compensation is given to the owner.

Question 2

The difference principle of Rawls includes

Accepted Answer

Rawls' difference principle states that inequalities in society are only permissible if they work for the benefit of the least advantaged. This means that individuals are not entitled to the same, but that society should prioritize the needs of those who are most disadvantaged. Therefore, the correct answer is B.

Question 3

For utilitarians,justice is an independent moral standard distinct from their general principle.

Accepted Answer

Utilitarians do not view justice as an independent moral standard but rather as a component of their general principle of maximizing overall happiness or well-being for the greatest number of people.

Question 4

According to libertarianism,liberty is the prime value,and justice consists in permitting each to live as he or she pleases,free from the interference of others.

Accepted Answer

According to the principle of libertarianism, liberty is considered to be the most important value, and justice is defined as allowing each individual to live their life as they choose without interference from others.

Question 5

According to the text,if an act is deemed fair,it will also be just.

Accepted Answer

The text does not make this claim. It only states that fairness and justice are often used interchangeably, but it does not say that they are always synonymous.

Question 6

Libertarians would find it immoral and unjust to coerce people to give food or money to the starving.

Accepted Answer

Libertarians prioritize individual freedom and property rights over government intervention and coercion. Thus, they would argue that forcing people to give food or money to the starving violates their freedom and property rights. They would instead support voluntary charity or private organizations assisting those in need.

Question 7

Distributive justice concerns the morally proper distribution of social benefits and burdens.

Accepted Answer

Distributive justice is concerned with how societal benefits and burdens should be distributed in a morally proper way.

Question 8

The United States leads the world in executive pay.

Accepted Answer

According to various reports and studies, the United States leads the world in executive pay, with CEOs of large companies earning significantly more than their counterparts in other countries.

Question 9

John Rawls' Theory of Justice lays within which type of tradition?

Accepted Answer

Rawls' Theory of Justice is based on the social contract tradition, which asserts that individuals come together to form a society and create a social contract that outlines what is just and fair for all members of that society. Rawls' theory is specifically grounded in a hypothetical social contract between rational individuals who do not know their own social status or position in society, in order to arrive at principles of justice that are fair and impartial for everyone.

Question 10

In his Principles of Political Economy,J.S.Mill argued for the desirability of breaking down the sharp and hostile division between the producers or workers,on the one hand,and the capitalists or owners,on the other hand.

Accepted Answer

J.S.Mill believed in the importance of cooperation and harmony between workers and capitalists, and advocated for policies that would bridge the gap between them. He argued for the gradual transfer of ownership to workers through voluntary associations and the reduction of economic inequality. Therefore, he promoted breaking down the hostile division between producers and capitalists.

Question 11

The distribution of income in Germany and Japan is far more unequal than that in the United States.

Accepted Answer

According to data from the World Bank, the Gini coefficient (a measure of income inequality) for the United States is higher than that of Germany and Japan, indicating greater income inequality in the US.

Question 12

Justice is frequently held to require that our treatment of people reflect their fundamental moral equality.

Accepted Answer

Justice is often based on the idea that all individuals have inherent moral worth and that their treatment should reflect this equality.

Question 13

The phrase "the declining marginal utility of money" means that successive additions to one's income produce,on average,less happiness or welfare than did earlier additions.

Accepted Answer

This is the definition of declining marginal utility of money. As one's income increases, each additional dollar produces slightly less satisfaction or happiness than the previous dollar did. This is a fundamental concept in economics.

Question 14

According to Robert Nozick,the basic moral rights possessed by all human beings are both negative and natural.

Accepted Answer

Robert Nozick argues that basic moral rights are negative in the sense that they require others not to interfere with an individual's actions, and natural in the sense that they are inherent to all humans as rational beings.

Question 15

According to Mill,to say that I have a right to something is to say that I have a valid claim on society to protect me in the possession of that thing,either by force of law or through education and opinion.

Accepted Answer

Mill argued that a right is a valid claim on society to protect one's possession of something, either by enforcing laws or through education and societal opinion. In other words, having a right to something means that society has a duty to ensure that the individual is able to possess and enjoy that thing without interference from others.

Question 16

Many philosophers believe (as Aristotle did)that we are required,as a formal principle of justice,to treat similar cases alike except where there is some relevant difference.

Accepted Answer

This principle is known as the principle of justice or equity and is widely accepted in philosophy. This principle requires us to treat similar cases in the same way unless there is a relevant difference that justifies treating them differently.

Question 17

The Supreme Court gave decision making power for Eminent domain to the

Accepted Answer

According to the Supreme Court decision in Kelo v. City of New London (2005), states and local communities have the power to use eminent domain for economic development purposes. The decision also stated that such use of eminent domain must provide just compensation for the property owners affected. Therefore, choice B is the correct answer.

Question 18

Rawls rejects utilitarianism because

Accepted Answer

Rawls rejects utilitarianism because he argues that it might permit an unfair distribution of burdens and benefits. Rawls believed that utilitarianism could justify sacrificing the well-being of some individuals for the greater good of the majority. Instead, Rawls proposes his own theory of justice, known as "justice as fairness," which prioritizes individual rights and ensures that everyone has equal access to basic liberties and opportunities.

Question 19

Thanks to changes in the tax system,in recent years income in the United States has become more equal.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Thanks to changes in the tax system,in...

Question 20

Utilitarians are likely to be sympathetic to the argument that steps should be taken to reduce the great disparities of income that characterize our society.

Accepted Answer

Utilitarianism is a moral theory which seeks to maximize happiness and minimize suffering for the greatest number of people. In the context of income disparities, utilitarians would argue that reducing these disparities would lead to a more just and equitable society, with greater overall happiness and well-being.

Quiz 3: Justice and Economic Distribution