November 22, 2024

3 thoughts on “Cornell Arts and Sciences Dean on Democracy & Inequality: A Refreshing Viewpoint

  1. Highly amusing to me that your ladder example is actually an instance of inequality of opportunity and equality of outcome. Which side were you on, again?

    1. Perhaps you should read the example again, or update your understanding of equality of opportunity.

      Clearly, the two men begin equally–in the hole–and either through hard work or good fortune one obtains a taller ladder. He escapes his hole first and helps the other leave his.

      Alternatively, in the world of equality of outcome, both men would be left in the hole because the man whose ladder is tall enough to leave will have his partially cut to give some to the other, leaving each with ladders not tall enough to escape.

      1. Only if your invented world has the tools for ladder-making available in random holes, which seems ridiculous. The two men begin unequal (one has a large ladder, and one does not) and end up with the same outcome (they both make it out of the hole). On the other hand, we could give them equal opportunity by cutting one ladder to give some to the other, leaving each with ladders not tall enough to escape.

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