week 6 justice

Question 1

How does ethics shift from individual to collective?

Answer 1

from personal intentions and actions—systems and fairness (justice)

Question 2

What does justice focus on?

Answer 2

not goodness, but fairness in systems and policies

Question 3

why does justice matter in health?

Answer 3

Because health is unequally distributed; fairness in access and outcomes becomes political.

Question 4

How do personal and structural ethics differ?

Answer 4

Personal = intentions & duties →
Structural = institutions, equality, and rules.

Question 5

Why is justice a compass, not a formula?

Answer 5

Because no single definition fits; it balances equality, equity, need, merit, rights, and freedom.

Question 6

What’s the difference between equality and equity?

Answer 6

Equality = same for all; Equity = give what each needs to reach fair outcomes.

Question 7

Why can equality reinforce injustice?

Answer 7

Because identical treatment can ignore different starting points (e.g., rural vs. urban access).

Question 8

Justice does not equal equality; instead, it focuses on ….

Answer 8

how we structure fairness in a shared life, (fixing the structures/systems that create inequalities)(eg: remember the tree photo/cartoon)

Question 9

What is distributive justice?

Answer 9

Fair allocation of resources and opportunities.

Question 10

What is procedural justice?

Answer 10

Fair decision-making processes.

Question 11

What is social justice?

Answer 11

Fairness across populations and social structures.

Question 12

What is retributive justice?

Answer 12

Fair response to wrongdoing.

Question 13

What is restorative justice?

Answer 13

Repair past harms or inequities.

Question 14

What is compensatory justice?

Answer 14

Correct unfair disadvantages.

Question 15

Why can’t we be fully equitable and egalitarian?

Answer 15

Fairness always involves trade-offs; pluralist theories help navigate them.

Question 16

Give examples of justice tensions.

Answer 16

Freedom vs. collective good; efficiency vs. equality; merit vs. need.

Question 17

What is the social contract?

Answer 17

An agreement to live under shared rules for mutual benefit.

Question 18

What freedoms do we trade for the concept of a social contract?

Answer 18

Some individual freedom for collective security and justice. and mutual benefit

Question 19

What was john Rawls central question?

Answer 19

“What rules would we choose if we didn’t know our social position?”

Question 20

What is the veil of ignorance?

Answer 20

Imagining society without knowing your status (your privledge) → design fair rules.

Question 21

What is the Liberty Principle?

Answer 21

Each person has equal basic liberties compatible with liberties for all

Question 22

Q: What is the Difference Principle?

Answer 22

Inequalities are allowed only if they benefit the least advantaged.

Question 23

What is Fair Equality of Opportunity?

Answer 23

All positions are open to everyone under equal conditions. (eg: everyone should have access to applying to positions.)

Question 24

What is Rawls’s priority order? of principles

Answer 24

1️⃣ Liberty (basic rights for everyone)
2️⃣ Equality of Opportunity
3️⃣ Difference Principle.

Question 25

Power & Privilege Wheel Q: What does the wheel illustrate?

Answer 25

Intersection of social identities creating privilege or marginalization.

Question 26

How can the liberty principle be applied to the power and privilege wheel?

Answer 26

Protect marginalized groups’ freedoms equally to those in power.

Question 27

How does the Difference Principle apply to the privilege wheel?

Answer 27

Policies must benefit the least advantaged (first).

Question 28

Rawls’s Core Ideas Q: What conflict does society face?

Answer 28

Interest conflict vs. social cooperation.

Question 29

What does Rawls’s theory focus on?

Answer 29

Social institutions —not individual motives or virtues.

Question 30

What’s a criticism of Rawls?

Answer 30

not radical enough create drastic change His “just society” resembles ours with minor adjustments.

Question 31

Why add metrics to justice?

Answer 31

To measure and evaluate fairness in pluralist societies.

Question 32

What does justice as balancing competing goods mean?

Answer 32

Justice mediates between liberty, need, efficiency, and solidarity—no one value dominates.

Question 33

Why are trade-offs central to theories of justice?

Answer 33

Because being fully equitable and egalitarian at once is impossible; fairness always involves gains and losses.

Question 34

What is the role of the social contract in health?

Answer 34

It’s the shared agreement to fund and organize care collectively so all have access—justice emerges from this reciprocity.

Question 35

How do Hobbes, Locke, Rousseau, and Rawls differ on the social contract?

Answer 35

Hobbes: strong state for peace. Locke: government secures rights to life, liberty, and property. Rousseau: common good via collective will. Rawls: fairness designed behind the veil of ignorance.

Question 36

What is Rawls’ original position?

Answer 36

A thought experiment where people design fair rules without knowing their social position—ensures impartiality.

Question 37

Why is the veil of ignorance important?

Answer 37

It removes bias of privilege or power, forcing decisions based on fairness rather than self-interest.

Question 38

What are Rawls’s two main principles?

Answer 38

1️⃣ Liberty Principle – equal basic rights for all. 2️⃣ Second Principle – inequalities allowed only if they: a) benefit the least advantaged (Difference Principle) b) ensure fair equality of Opportunity.

Question 39

What is Rawls’s priority order of principles?

Answer 39

(1) Liberty → (2) Equality of Opportunity → (3) Difference Principle.

Question 40

What does Rawls mean by “justice is the first virtue of social institutions”?

Answer 40

Systems must be reformed if unjust—justice comes before efficiency or tradition.

Question 41

How does Rawls differ from utilitarianism?

Answer 41

He rejects sacrificing individuals for overall utility; fairness and equal respect come first.

Question 42

What are metrics of justice?

Answer 42

Ways to measure fairness in pluralist societies—focus on resources, capabilities, or welfare (Daniels, Sen, Nussbaum).

Question 43

What are the three types of justice metrics (Daniels)?

Answer 43

Resourcist: fairness based on distribution of goods (Rawls). Capabilist: fairness based on freedom and agency (Sen, Nussbaum). Welfarist: fairness based on well-being and satisfaction (Bentham, Singer).

Question 44

Give examples of public health welfare metrics.

Answer 44

QALYs (Quality-Adjusted Life Years) and DALYs (Disability-Adjusted Life Years).

Question 45

What is prioritarianism?

Answer 45

Giving priority to improving the well-being of the least advantaged rather than maximizing total welfare.

Question 46

What is sufficientarianism?

Answer 46

Ensuring everyone has enough to live a decent life before pursuing more equality.

Question 47

How do correlative and noncorrelative distributive principles differ?

Answer 47

Noncorrelative: ignore personal factors (e.g., pure equality). Correlative: link distribution to contribution, effort, or tradition.

Question 48

What does the Canadian healthcare social contract imply?

Answer 48

Citizens and the state share responsibility to ensure universal, equitable access to care; breaches (e.g., systemic neglect) are injustices.

Question 49

What question guides Rawlsian health ethics?

Answer 49

Would I accept this system if I didn’t know my place in it?”