Psychology: Cognitive Biases and Ideal Societies
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Questions and Answers

What is a characteristic of human answers according to the dramatic instinct?

  • Consistently objective
  • Systematically more negative (correct)
  • Tending to be overly positive
  • Prone to frequent changes

What is the primary goal of Hobbesian minimalism?

  • Comprehensive human freedom
  • Minimal physical harm (correct)
  • Maximal production of the 'right' kind of human being
  • Separation of public and private spheres

What is a key aspect of Kantian autonomy?

  • Living according to one's own making (correct)
  • Living according to societal norms
  • Seeking absolute knowledge
  • Following natural law

What is a key principle of Mill's fallibilism?

<p>All human knowledge is potentially wrong (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is a key feature of a comprehensive liberal order?

<p>Government constrained from intruding on the private sphere (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is a key virtue of a liberal citizen?

<p>Tolerance (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is a key principle of Locke's Natural Law?

<p>Freedom is a fundamental right (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is a key aspect of Nozick's self-ownership?

<p>People have absolute ownership of their bodies (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary principle of Utilitarianism?

<p>Maximizing aggregate human wellbeing (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

According to the Veil of Ignorance, what do Harsanyi and Rawl propose?

<p>Treating individual welfares equally (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is a key concern with Utilitarianism?

<p>It does not account for future generations (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the main principle of Distributive Justice?

<p>Rectifying luck-based inequality (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What does Rawls' Difference Principle propose?

<p>Arranging inequality to benefit the least advantaged (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is a key distinction in Distributive Justice?

<p>Between luck and preference (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What does a Distributive Justice order typically advocate for?

<p>A social democracy with substantial redistribution (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What are the two forms of rectification in Distributive Justice?

<p>Ex ante equality of opportunity and ex post equality of outcomes (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Biases and Ideal Theories

  • Humans have a dramatic instinct and overdramatic worldview, leading to systematically negative answers
  • Our knowledge is often outdated, and even those with the latest data can make the same mistakes
  • We suffer from a systematic bias

Ideal Theories of a "Good" Society

  • Hobbesian minimalism: minimal physical harm
  • Theocratic maximalism: maximal production of the "right" kind of human being
  • Four important ideal theories: Comprehensive Liberalism, Communitarianism, Utilitarianism, and Distributive Justice

Comprehensive Liberalism

  • Focuses on human freedom
  • Separates a public and private sphere, promoting tolerance
  • The chief virtue of a liberal citizen is tolerance
  • Government is constrained from intruding on the private sphere
  • Policy is used to promote liberal virtues of tolerance and civic pride

Communitarianism

  • Focuses on perfectionism: living according to one's own making is the essence of being human
  • Kantian autonomy: individuals should live according to their own making
  • Mill's fallibilism: individuals should be able to revise their beliefs as all human knowledge is potentially wrong
  • Natural rights: Locke's Natural Law and Nozick's self-ownership

Utilitarianism

  • Focuses on human wellbeing
  • Rightness of a policy or social organization depends on its consequences for net aggregate human wellbeing
  • Consequentialism: rightness of a policy depends on the goodness of the state of affairs it brings about
  • Welfarism: evaluation of states of affairs is based on their implications for human wellbeing
  • Treats individual welfares equally
  • Veil of Ignorance: Harsanyi and Rawl
  • Utilitarian improvement/optimum: rigorously measures costs and benefits to maximize aggregate wellbeing

Distributive Justice

  • Focuses on equality
  • A just society is one that conforms to two moral principles: life outcomes should not be determined by luck, and people are responsible for things within their control
  • The Difference Principle: unequal access to social primary goods is mere luck, and inequality should be arranged to the greatest benefit of the least advantaged
  • Dworkin (2000) argues that inequality of natural primary goods is also luck
  • What is the line between luck and preference (life choice)?
  • Structural injustice: equality to what?

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Description

This quiz explores how our dramatic instincts and outdated knowledge can lead to systematic biases in our thinking. It also delves into ideal theories of what constitutes a 'good' society, including Hobbesian minimalism and theocratic maximalism.

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