Equality and preferential treatment
By: edited by Marshall Cohen, Thomas Nagel, and Thomas Scanlon ; contributors, Ronald Dworkin ... [et al.].
Contributors: Cohen, Marshall.; Nagel, Thomas, 1937-; Scanlon, Thomas.; Dworkin, R. M.
Series: A Philosophy & public affairs reader
Publisher: Princeton University Press
Published: 1977
Place of publication: Princeton, N.J
Language: eng
Number of pages: 209
Subjects: Discrimination -- Law and legislation -- United States -- Addresses, essays, lectures.; Equality before the law -- United States -- Addresses, essays, lectures.; Reverse discrimination -- Law and legislation -- United States -- Addresses, essays, lectures.
Other titles: Philosophy & public affairs.
Description: 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.
Notes: Includes bibliographical references.
"The essays in this book, with one exception, appeared originally in the quarterly journal Philosophy & public affairs."
Table of contents: title: Nagel, T. Equal treatment and compensatory discrimination.; title: Thomson, J. J. Preferential hiring.; title: Simon, R. Preferential hiring, a reply to Judith Jarvis Thomson.; title: Sher, G. Justifying reverse discrimination in employment.; title: Dworkin, R. DeFunis v. Sweatt.; title: Fiss, O.M. Groups and the equal protection clause.; title: Fiss, O.M. School desegregation.; title: Goldman, A.H. Affirmative action.