Equity: The Thief of Human Potential - Thomas Sowell
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Questions and Answers

What is the main goal of Cosmic Justice?

  • To apply the same rules and standards to everyone
  • To pursue both traditional and Cosmic Justice
  • To correct societal inequities
  • To equalize prospects for everyone (correct)

    • What is one difference between Cosmic Justice and traditional justice?

  • Both Cosmic Justice and traditional justice pursue consistent outcomes
  • Traditional justice requires individualized and tailored solutions
  • Cosmic Justice aims to equalize prospects for everyone (correct)
  • Cosmic Justice only addresses societal inequities

    • What does fair equality of opportunity require?

  • Redress for undeserved inequalities (correct)
  • Applying the same rules and standards to everyone
  • Mass-produced rules
  • Formal equality of opportunity

    • What is another term often used to refer to Cosmic Justice?

    <p>Social justice</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which educational institution mentioned in the text has sought to redress inequalities by not requiring certain achievement tests?

    <p>Stanford University</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the purpose of renorming test scores, as mentioned in the text?

    <p>To account for social backgrounds and handicaps</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Why does the author believe that unfairness in education can be beneficial?

    <p>It forces individuals to meet higher standards and overcome challenges</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the main focus of Cosmic Justice, as mentioned in the text?

    <p>Correcting societal inequities and natural inequalities</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What has the Supreme Court been pursuing in terms of justice?

    <p>Both traditional and Cosmic Justice</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What does fair equality of opportunity require, according to John Rawls?

    <p>Redress for undeserved inequalities</p> Signup and view all the answers

    According to the author, what is the outcome of the communist movement?

    <p>The movement showed the costs and dangers of seeking social justice</p> Signup and view all the answers

    According to the author, how do those with a cosmic notion of justice misrepresent what is happening?

    <p>They portray violations of traditional justice</p> Signup and view all the answers

    According to the author, why is turning capable individuals into dependent clients considered an injustice?

    <p>It takes away individual agency</p> Signup and view all the answers

    According to the author, what do most ordinary Americans still have?

    <p>A traditional conception of justice</p> Signup and view all the answers

    According to the author, how do those who disagree with the vision of cosmic justice often face criticism?

    <p>They are subject to character assassination</p> Signup and view all the answers

    According to the author, what is the impact of character assassination on society?

    <p>It discourages individuals from participating in the public arena</p> Signup and view all the answers

    According to the author, what is the author's view on the possibility of achieving real justice and real equality?

    <p>They believe it is achievable</p> Signup and view all the answers

    According to the author, what is the impact of the vision of cosmic justice on those who hold it?

    <p>It benefits those it is intended to benefit</p> Signup and view all the answers

    According to the author, why is it important to re-examine the evidence when advocating for cosmic justice?

    <p>To see if the advocacy is producing the desired results</p> Signup and view all the answers

    According to the author, what is the author's view on the admission process at Harvard?

    <p>The author believes their admission was due to their higher test scores than the average Harvard student</p> Signup and view all the answers

    According to the author, what is the impact of the vision of cosmic justice on those who hold it?

    <p>They are subject to character assassination.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What does the author suggest is an injustice?

    <p>Turning capable individuals into dependent clients.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    According to the author, what is the outcome of the communist movement?

    <p>Costs and dangers of it.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the author's view on the possibility of achieving real justice and real equality?

    <p>Some versions of these are impossible and have costs and dangers.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    According to the author, what is the main focus of Cosmic Justice?

    <p>Benefiting those who hold it.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    According to the author, why is it important to re-examine the evidence when advocating for cosmic justice?

    <p>To see if their advocacy is producing the desired results.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is one difference between Cosmic Justice and traditional justice?

    <p>Cosmic Justice misrepresents what is happening as a violation of traditional justice.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    According to the author, what is the impact of character assassination on society?

    <p>It discourages individuals from participating in the public arena.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What does fair equality of opportunity require, according to the author?

    <p>Re-examining the evidence when advocating for cosmic justice.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    According to the author, what do most ordinary Americans still have?

    <p>A traditional conception of justice.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the main difference between Cosmic Justice and traditional justice?

    <p>Cosmic Justice aims to equalize prospects for everyone, while traditional justice applies the same rules and standards to everyone.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What does fair equality of opportunity require, according to John Rawls?

    <p>Redress for undeserved inequalities</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is another term often used to refer to Cosmic Justice?

    <p>Social justice</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the main focus of Cosmic Justice?

    <p>Equalizing prospects for everyone</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the main goal of Cosmic Justice?

    <p>To equalize prospects for everyone</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Why does the author believe that unfairness in education can be beneficial?

    <p>It forces individuals to meet higher standards and overcome challenges</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What has the Supreme Court been pursuing in terms of justice?

    <p>Both traditional and Cosmic Justice</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the impact of the vision of cosmic justice on those who hold it?

    <p>It can be seen from community activists to the Supreme Court</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the purpose of renorming test scores, as mentioned in the text?

    <p>To account for social backgrounds and handicaps</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the impact of character assassination on society?

    <p>It can lead to unequal opportunities</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Study Notes

    The Dangers of the Vision of Cosmic Justice

    • The author believes that their admission to Harvard was due to their higher test scores than the average Harvard student.
    • They argue that if teachers in the past had the present-day conception of fairness, their school would not have made it to an Ivy League institution.
    • The author suggests that turning capable individuals into dependent clients is an injustice.
    • They acknowledge that real justice and real equality are desirable, but argue that some versions of these are impossible and have costs and dangers.
    • The author mentions that the people who joined the communist movement were seeking social justice, but the outcome showed the costs and dangers of it.
    • They state that most ordinary Americans still have a traditional conception of justice.
    • The author claims that those who have a cosmic notion of justice misrepresent what is happening as a violation of traditional justice.
    • They argue that those who disagree with the vision of cosmic justice are subject to character assassination.
    • The author believes that the whole society is a victim of character assassination because it discourages individuals from participating in the public arena.
    • They suggest that people who are caught up in the vision of cosmic justice cannot re-examine the evidence to see if their advocacy is producing the desired results.
    • The author gives an example of Lenin, who was more devoted to the vision of the proletariat than to the actual people.
    • They argue that the vision of cosmic justice is beneficial to those who hold it, even if it is not beneficial to those it is intended to benefit.

    Understanding Cosmic Justice

    • Cosmic Justice is different from traditional justice, as it aims to equalize prospects for everyone.
    • Applying the same rules and standards to everyone can lead to inconsistent outcomes and is incompatible with Cosmic Justice.
    • The Supreme Court has been pursuing both traditional and Cosmic Justice, resulting in inconsistent decisions.
    • Treating everyone the same requires mass-produced rules, while Cosmic Justice requires individualized and tailored solutions.
    • Cosmic Justice seeks to correct not only societal inequities but also the natural inequalities of birth and circumstance.
    • John Rawls distinguishes between formal equality of opportunity and fair equality of opportunity, which requires redress for undeserved inequalities.
    • Cosmic Justice is often referred to as social justice, and its principles can be seen from community activists to the Supreme Court.
    • Some educational institutions, like Stanford University, have sought to redress inequalities by not requiring certain achievement tests.
    • The educational testing service is renorming test scores to account for social backgrounds and handicaps, aiming to redress pre-existing inequalities.
    • The author reflects on his own education and acknowledges that his teachers' unfairness was necessary for his personal growth and success.
    • Unfairness in education can be more beneficial than make-believe fairness, as it forces individuals to meet higher standards and overcome challenges.
    • The author shares a personal anecdote about a classmate from Harlem who became successful due to the high standards set by their teachers.

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    Description

    "Equity: The Thief of Human Potential - Thomas Sowell" Quiz: Test your knowledge about the potential risks and drawbacks associated with the concept of cosmic justice. Explore topics such as the impact on individual agency, the historical failures of similar ideologies, and the challenges of balancing justice and equality. Challenge your understanding of these complex issues and gain insights into the limitations and dangers of pursuing cosmic justice.

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