Bristol University Press
3 The Currency of Children’s Justice
Abstract
This chapter explores different theories of advantage in the context of childhood. It argues that both subjective theories of advantage, which measure mental states like happiness, and resource theories must both be rejected. Resource based theories are attractive in the case of adulthood when a person can rightly be held responsible for their choices but cannot capture important threats to children’s interests. In their place I propose a wellbeing theory drawing on Martha Nussbaum’s capabilities view.
Abstract
This chapter explores different theories of advantage in the context of childhood. It argues that both subjective theories of advantage, which measure mental states like happiness, and resource theories must both be rejected. Resource based theories are attractive in the case of adulthood when a person can rightly be held responsible for their choices but cannot capture important threats to children’s interests. In their place I propose a wellbeing theory drawing on Martha Nussbaum’s capabilities view.
Chapters in this book
- Front Matter i
- Contents v
- Acknowledgements vi
- Introduction vii
-
Children and Moral Theory
- The Aims of a Moral Theory 3
- What is a Child? 9
-
A Distributive Theory for Children
- The Currency of Children’s Justice 17
- Welfare across the Lifespan 31
- Priority, Not Equality, of Welfare 43
-
Perfectionism and Upbringing
- The Case against Neutrality 55
- Understanding Perfectionism 67
- The Implications of Perfectionism 79
-
The Rights and Duties of Parents
- The Project View of Parenting 97
- Distributing Parental Duties 111
- Perfectionism and Parenting 123
- Beyond Parents: Collective Duties to Children 135
-
Distributive Implications
- Children’s Distributive Outcomes: Equality of Opportunity? 149
- Paying for Childcare 159
- Conclusion 171
- Bibliography 175
- Index 187
Chapters in this book
- Front Matter i
- Contents v
- Acknowledgements vi
- Introduction vii
-
Children and Moral Theory
- The Aims of a Moral Theory 3
- What is a Child? 9
-
A Distributive Theory for Children
- The Currency of Children’s Justice 17
- Welfare across the Lifespan 31
- Priority, Not Equality, of Welfare 43
-
Perfectionism and Upbringing
- The Case against Neutrality 55
- Understanding Perfectionism 67
- The Implications of Perfectionism 79
-
The Rights and Duties of Parents
- The Project View of Parenting 97
- Distributing Parental Duties 111
- Perfectionism and Parenting 123
- Beyond Parents: Collective Duties to Children 135
-
Distributive Implications
- Children’s Distributive Outcomes: Equality of Opportunity? 149
- Paying for Childcare 159
- Conclusion 171
- Bibliography 175
- Index 187
