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THE ETHICAL BASES OF PUBLIC POLICIES: A CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 June 2014

Prasanta K. Pattanaik  and
Yongsheng Xu
Prasanta K. Pattanaik
Affiliation:
University of California, Riverside, USAprasanta.pattanaik@ucr.edu
Yongsheng Xu
Affiliation:
Georgia State University, USAyxu3@gsu.edu
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Abstract

This paper develops a conceptual framework, which can accommodate a wide range of value judgements used in ethical evaluations of extended social states and which can be used to differentiate different categories of value judgements by referring to the type of information on which they may be based. The notions of consequentialism, non-consequentialism, exclusive focus on personal well-being, exclusive focus on utility, etc. are conceptualized in operational ways in the framework. The framework and the discussion of different types of ethical criteria that may be used in evaluating extended social states contribute to conceptual clarity about the ethical bases of public policies.

Type
Articles
Information
Economics & Philosophy , Volume 30 , Issue 2 , July 2014 , pp. 175 - 194
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2014 

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