VALUE NEUTRALITY AND THE RANKING OF OPPORTUNITY SETS

Abstract

Abstract:I argue that a liberal commitment to value neutrality is best honoured by maintaining a pure cardinality component in our rankings of opportunity sets. Two challenges to this claim are considered. The first holds that cardinality rankings areunnecessaryfor neutrality, since what matters from this perspective is thevariety(and not the meresize) of opportunity sets. The second holds that pure cardinality metrics areinsufficientfor neutrality, because opportunities cannot be individuated into countable entities without presupposing some relevantly partisan evaluative perspective. In each case, a clear understanding of the liberal basis for valuing liberty yields a satisfying response.