Why Paternalists Must Endorse Epistocracy

Journal of Ethics and Social Philosophy 21 (3) (2022)
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Abstract

Recent findings from psychology and behavioral economics suggest that we are “predictably irrational” in the pursuit of our interests. Paternalists from both the social sciences and philosophy use these findings to defend interfering with people's consumption choices for their own good. We should tax soda, ban cigarettes, and mandate retirement savings to make people healthier and wealthier than they’d be on their own. Our thesis is that the standard arguments offered in support of restricting people’s consumption choices for their own good also imply support for “epistocratic” restrictions on people’s voting choices for their own good. Indeed, the philosophical case for paternalistic restrictions on voting choices may be stronger than the case for restricting personal consumption choices. So, paternalists face a dilemma: either endorse less interference with consumption choices or more interference with voting choices.

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Author Profiles

Jason Brennan
University of Western Ontario
Christopher Freiman
College of William and Mary

Citations of this work

Liberal Perfectionism and Epistocracy.Cyril Hédoin - 2023 - Public Affairs Quarterly 37 (4):307-330.

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References found in this work

Plural Voting for the Twenty-First Century.Thomas Mulligan - 2018 - Philosophical Quarterly 68 (271):286-306.
The nature of belief systems in mass publics (1964).Philip E. Converse - 2006 - Critical Review: A Journal of Politics and Society 18 (1-3):1-74.
Hindsight bias is not a bias.Brian Hedden - 2019 - Analysis 79 (1):43-52.
The right to a competent electorate.Jason Brennan - 2011 - Philosophical Quarterly 61 (245):700-724.

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