PHL100Y1 Lecture Notes - Lecture 6: Free Rider Problem, Syllogism, Social Contract
Document Summary
We are more needy and weak than many animals. They have the capacity to kill without a social contract . Efficiency: each does what they do best. (369a-370d) People can specialize in some areas of what is required. This implies trade (370e), ship-building, etc. (371b) What does this presuppose: that distribution of labour will work out. So that may require some state-run coercion. Pay people more for doing unpleasant jobs. We now have tools for those labours. No apparent need for slaves: prior agreement to keep agreements. This doesn"t take care of the free rider problem. They"ve agreed that they"d do their duties, but they don"t. Collaboration is easy when everyone benefits in proportion to their efforts. Morality means cooperating even when i lose. When invisible, gyges never has to lose! Somebody else will benefit, and not myself. The free rider problem arises when my contribution doesn"t make much difference. If everyone else cleans up, i don"t need to.
