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The Veil Of Ignorance Violates Priority

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  • Moreno-Ternero, Juan D.
  • Roemer, John E.

Abstract

The veil of ignorance has been used often as a tool for recommending what justice requires with respect to the distribution of wealth. We complete Harsanyi's model of the veil of ignorance by appending information permitting objective comparisons among persons. In order to do so, we introduce the concept of objective empathy. We show that the veil-of-ignorance conception of John Harsanyi, so completed, and Ronald Dworkin's, when modelled formally, recommend wealth allocations in conflict with the prominently espoused view that priority should be given to the less able in wealth allocation. We finally argue that the veil of ignorance should be rejected as a tool for discovering what justice requires.

Suggested Citation

  • Moreno-Ternero, Juan D. & Roemer, John E., 2008. "The Veil Of Ignorance Violates Priority," Economics and Philosophy, Cambridge University Press, vol. 24(2), pages 233-257, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:cup:ecnphi:v:24:y:2008:i:02:p:233-257_00
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    Cited by:

    1. Scott L. Newbert & Michael D. Stouder, 2011. "Justice in entrepreneurial organizations," International Journal of Social Economics, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 38(5), pages 453-465, April.
    2. Thijs De Coninck & Frederik Van De Putte, 2023. "Original position arguments and social choice under ignorance," Theory and Decision, Springer, vol. 94(2), pages 275-298, February.
    3. Biung-Ghi Ju & Juan D. Moreno-Ternero, 2023. "Taxation behind the veil of ignorance," Social Choice and Welfare, Springer;The Society for Social Choice and Welfare, vol. 60(1), pages 165-181, January.
    4. Che-Yuan Liang, 2017. "Optimal inequality behind the veil of ignorance," Theory and Decision, Springer, vol. 83(3), pages 431-455, October.
    5. Antonio Abatemarco & Francesca Stroffolini, 2017. "The economics of justice as fairness," Working Papers 430, ECINEQ, Society for the Study of Economic Inequality.
    6. Juan D. Moreno-Ternero & Lars Peter Østerdal, 2023. "Entitlements to continued life and the evaluation of population health," Review of Economic Design, Springer;Society for Economic Design, vol. 27(3), pages 561-579, September.
    7. John E. Roemer & Alain Trannoy, 2013. "Equality of Opportunity," Cowles Foundation Discussion Papers 1921, Cowles Foundation for Research in Economics, Yale University.
    8. Moreno-Terneroy , Juan D & Østerdal, Lars Peter, 2015. "The implications of equal value of life and prioritarianism for the evaluation of population health," DaCHE discussion papers 2015:1, University of Southern Denmark, Dache - Danish Centre for Health Economics.
    9. Matthew D Adler & Nils Holtug, 2019. "Prioritarianism: A response to critics," Politics, Philosophy & Economics, , vol. 18(2), pages 101-144, May.
    10. Juan D. Moreno-Ternero & Roberto Veneziani, 2017. "Social welfare, justice and distribution," Social Choice and Welfare, Springer;The Society for Social Choice and Welfare, vol. 49(3), pages 415-421, December.

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