Philosophy Colloquium: "Two Concepts of Equality," Devon Cass

Speaker: Devon Cass, ANU

Abstract:

  Over the past few decades, a distinction has been drawn between two concepts of equality: 1) a ‘distributive’ concept, which involves the equal enjoyment of a good such as welfare or resources, and 2) a ‘social’ or ‘relational’ concept, which involves the absence of social hierarchy and the presence of egalitarian social relations. This contrast, it is suggested, has important implications for our understanding of the relationship between equality and justice. Unfortunately, the nature and significance of the distinction is far from clear. I evaluate several accounts of this issue and argue that they are unsatisfactory; I then offer a novel proposal and discuss its normative implications.