According to Sher in "Diversity", What Is One of the Problems

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The Answer is According to Sher in "Diversity," one of the problems surrounding justification for affirmative action based on rectification for past harms is the difficulty in identifying the specific individuals who have been wronged and those who have benefited from such wrongs. Sher argues that affirmative action policies aimed at rectifying past injustices often face the challenge of accurately determining who should be eligible for compensatory measures.

The historical injustices that affirmative action seeks to address, such as slavery, segregation, and discrimination, affected large groups of people over extended periods. However, the individuals who suffered from these injustices are not always easily identifiable in the present, nor are the direct beneficiaries of those injustices. This creates a problem of connecting past wrongs to current remedies in a way that is both fair and practical.

Moreover, Sher discusses the issue of collective versus individual responsibility. It is complex to assign responsibility for past harms to current individuals or institutions that may not have been directly involved in those past actions. This raises questions about the fairness of holding present-day individuals or groups accountable for the actions of their predecessors.

In summary, Sher points out that while the intent of affirmative action to rectify past injustices is noble, the practical implementation of such policies is fraught with challenges, including identifying the rightful recipients of affirmative action and determining the extent of responsibility among current individuals or institutions for past harms.

According to Sher in "Diversity", What Is One of the Problems

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