Thesis: The terms ‘deserving’ and ‘earning’ are nearly interchangeable in ordinary use, but there is a difference that matters when we speak of deserving opportunities.

EARNING

We commonly show our respect for what a person has achieved by saying, “You deserved it” or “You earned it.” The words ‘deserving’ and ‘earning’ are nearly interchangeable in ordinary use. There is a difference, though, and it will be useful to give the difference a bit more emphasis than it gets in ordinary use.

A paycheck is not earned until the work is done. Upon being hired, I will do what I need to do to earn the paycheck, but the future does not settle that I have earned the paycheck now. I have not earned it until I do the work. Thus, while we do speak of people as deserving a chance even before they supply the requisite inputs, we do not speak of people as having earned a paycheck prior to supplying requisite inputs. Perhaps this is because what Jane deserves has more to do with her character, whereas what Jane has earned has more to do with her work. Jane's character can be manifest before she supplies the requisite inputs. Her work cannot similarly be manifest prior to supplying requisite inputs, since her work is the requisite input when the question concerns what she has earned. Jane can be deserving at t1 in virtue of what she will do, if given a chance.