Reference no: EM132905750

1. As a means of addressing poverty in America, the 20th century focused upon improvingequality of opportunity. Yet, despite remarkable advances, poverty remains. In fact, it remains in the same places, and among the same demographics.

a. Do you feel it is our ethical duty to end poverty in America?

b. How would a utilitarian, a Kantian, a Rawlsian, and a libertarian respond?

2. "Equality of opportunity is fundamental to justice, although it can never be achieved because of differences in inherited factors. The best we can do is approach it. Equality of outcomes is not fundamental to justice - in fact, it violates the norm of justice in a sense. Yet if perpetuated over time, inequality of outcomes creates unequal opportunities." (My italics) - J. Isbister, Capitalism and Justice

What is the meaning of this paragraph? What are your thoughts on the point it makes?

3. Discuss three causes of our "cheating culture" and three strategies we can employ to fix it.

4. In 1982, there were 300,000 inmates in U.S. prisons. Today, there are 2.5 million. Those not horrified by the fact on moral grounds are horrified on fiscal ones, insofar as the cost of incarceration in NYS alone exceeds $15,000/year/inmate.

When one adds to this dire matter the fact that the biggest predictor of a youth's future involvement in the criminal justice system is to have had a parent in the system, the problem reveals itself as untenable. As many current inmates have children, what will be the inmate population in 2031, 5 million? Then, in 2041, 12 million?

How would a utilitarian address this problem? Explain specific