Summary of the Chapters
The chapters in the book Fundamentals of Ethics (Shafer-Landau, 2021) discuss the topic of justice and fairness from the perspective of utilitarianism, consequentialism, and Kant’s universalization of the maxim. Three theories elaborate on a different understanding of justice and fairness, as utilitarianism can miss the appropriate action for the sake of a positive result. At the same time, consequentialism can prove it through the act’s morality. On its own, Kant’s perception reviews motives and reasons lying under the action to assess its character. The given chapters point to the fact that the three theories are interconnected, while the topic of justice and fairness stems from the complex issue of morality.
Consequentialism
The tenth chapter of the book describes the advantages of the Rule of Consequentialism from the perspective of utilitarianism. The central issue of utilitarianism is that the results are more important than the fairness of the process; the Rule of Consequentialism enables the reduction of unfair decisions that can lead to positive results (Shafer-Landau, 2021). It is interesting to see the interconnectedness of optimal actions with the fair and just system. It represents that despite the positive short-term impact of unfair acts, the just step will still be more optimistic and desirable for the system. Compared with utilitarianism, consequentialism can resolve moral conflict and provide justice to the irreplaceable part of it.
The Kantian Perspective
The eleventh chapter discusses Kant’s perception of justice and fairness, which are shown through the maxim and its universalization. Kant’s ideology on such moral duties is still relevant to the modern day since it is still essential to review the morality of action besides its result. The author reviews the contradiction of consequentialism and Kant’s maxim theory since the former can justify the event by the morality of an action and its positive result. Still, the latter can identify its reasons (Shafer-Landau, 2021).
Consequentialism, to deal with the breaking points of utilitarianism, also fails to address specific issues, like the individual’s motive. Still, as a universalized maxim is also a disputable concept, Kant’s perspective lacks proper elaboration. The author reviews three theories for fairness and justice, showing that each has proper reasoning and weaknesses in the discussion.
Reference
Shafer-Landau, R (2021). The fundamentals of ethics. 5th eds., Oxford University Press.