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Equality and Priority

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  • PETERSON, MARTIN
  • HANSSON, SVEN OVE

Abstract

This article argues that, contrary to the received view, prioritarianism and egalitarianism are not jointly incompatible theories in normative ethics. By introducing a distinction between weighing and aggregating, the authors show that the seemingly conflicting intuitions underlying prioritarianism and egalitarianism are consistent. The upshot is a combined position, equality-prioritarianism, which takes both prioritarian and egalitarian considerations into account in a technically precise manner. On this view, the moral value of a distribution of well-being is a product of two factors: the sum of all individuals' priority-adjusted well-being, and a measure of the equality of the distribution in question. Some implications of equality-prioritarianism are considered.

Suggested Citation

  • Peterson, Martin & Hansson, Sven Ove, 2005. "Equality and Priority," Utilitas, Cambridge University Press, vol. 17(3), pages 299-309, November.
    • Handle: RePEc:cup:utilit:v:17:y:2005:i:03:p:299-309_00
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    Cited by:

    1. Shlomi Segall, 2015. "In defense of priority (and equality)," Politics, Philosophy & Economics, , vol. 14(4), pages 343-364, November.

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