Paternalism, Rationality and Welfare – Novel Justifications for Paternalistic Interventions

10 two-hour seminar sessions.

Target group/Course level

Advanced undergraduate and graduate students of political philosophy, social sciences students with an interest in policy formation, and students of philosophy of science with an interest in the interface between science and policy. Basic knowledge of critical thinking, logic, economics or philosophy of science desired but not a requirement.

Objectives

Recent psychological experiments tell about numerous ‘irrationalities’ of human agents. Human behaviour, it seems, in many ways deviates systematically from the model of rational economic man. Some of this evidence is interpreted as normatively relevant. In particular, it is argued that these ‘irrationalities’ justify intervening in people’s decisions in order to improve their welfare. This seminar investigates these arguments in detail. Its aim is to assess, criticise and possibly to strengthen these justifications, by a thorough analysis of the arguments’ preconditions and deductive stringency, and the strength of the evidence underlying it.

Content

Course description

Follow this link:

http://www.mv.helsinki.fi/home/gruneyan/teaching.html

Completion

Course credit assessed by end-of-term paper. Paper topic chosen in agreement with lecturer after 6th session. Short presentation of project in seminar mandatory. Submission of paper by end of July 2010.