Solved

David Gauthier: Why Contractarianism

question 7

Multiple Choice

David Gauthier: Why Contractarianism?
Gauthier begins by claiming that morality faces a foundational crisis: morality's supposed authority depends on a worldview we no longer accept - one according to which the world is purposively ordered. Because of this, there is a serious question as to why we should accept the constraints of morality, given that these constraints purport to be independent of our desires and interests. This question becomes particularly pressing when obeying the dictates of morality would require sacrificing our interests for the sake of someone or something that we do not personally care about.
Some respond to this challenge by claiming that morality needs no justification. Gauthier claims that such a vindication is necessary, however. And we have an alternative method for justifying our actions that makes no reference to moral considerations. This method is that of deliberative justification, according to which an action is justified if and only if it maximizes the agent's expected utility (where utility is understood in terms of considered preferences) . Even if we were to do away with morality, we could still justify our actions via deliberative rationality.
Gauthier claims that there are three possible ways for morality to survive the challenge he has raised. One could argue that (i) we must postulate moral facts to explain our experiences, or (ii) one could argue that deliberative justification is somehow incomplete, or (iii) one could try to locate morality within the framework of deliberative rationality. Gauthier embraces the third way of resolving the crisis. He conceives of morality as a set of rules that constrain people's behavior, but that are mutually agreed on because they are to everyone's advantage. Because we gain more than we lose by submitting to such rules, deliberative rationality councils us to accept them.
-According to Gauthier, moral considerations present themselves to agents as:

Explain the concept of "wood" in plant biology and identify which plant groups produce it.

Determine the reproductive strategies and characteristics of different plant groups, including sexual dimorphism and flowering plant reproduction mechanisms.

Understand the components of the pistil and their roles in plant reproduction.

Recognize the floral structures, including the calyx, and their functional roles in angiosperms.

Definitions:

Marginal Cost

The cost associated with producing one more unit of a specific good or service, key in decision-making processes for production levels.

Marijuana

Marijuana, also known as cannabis, is a psychoactive drug from the Cannabis plant used for medical or recreational purposes.

Shipment Seized

The act of authorities taking control over goods in transit due to non-compliance with laws or regulations.

Equilibrium Price

The price at which the quantity of goods demanded by consumers equals the quantity of goods supplied by producers, resulting in market balance.