1. What is Justice?
Mrs. Pelletier
English 3

2. Moral Principles
The Hardin v. Singer debate revealed at least two moral principles:
Consequentialist reasoning: the right/moral thing to do depends on the consequences that will result from your action (the state of the world that will result from the thing you do)
Categorical reasoning: locates morality in certain duties/rights (absolute rights regardless of the consequences)
Consequentialist: Hardin
more people will die if we help individual (society WILL be worse off)
Consequentialist: Singer
more people will live NOW (better state of the world in the present)
Categorical: Singer
human life is invaluable; can never use people as means to an end (all people may die, but at least we’ll be moral)

3. Example: Price Gouging
Arguments against price gouging laws:
Markets promote the welfare of society as a whole by providing incentives for people to work hard supplying the goods that other people want
Markets respect individual freedom; rather than impose a certain value on goods and services, markets let people choose for themselves what value to place on the things they exchange
Argument for price gouging laws:
Welfare of society is not served by the exorbitant prices charged in hard times; the benefit to those who provide the goods must e weighed against the burden to those who have to pay the prices
Price gouging promotes greed, which is a vice, and is at odds with civic virtue (a good society pulls together in difficult times)
Hurricane Charley swept across Florida in Claimed at least 22 lives and caused $11 billion in damage.
Price gouging: selling $2 bags of ice for $10, small generators went from $250 to $2000, tree removal from house roof $23,000.

4. Justice: What is the right thing to do?
Definitions of justice revolve around 3 ideas:
Promoting welfare
Respecting freedom
Promoting virtue

5. Your Definition of Justice
On a separate sheet of paper, write AT LEAST one well-developed paragraph defining what justice means. Make sure to include at least 2 clear examples that illustrate and support your definition.