Using pure statistical evidence about a group to judge a particular member of that group is often... more Using pure statistical evidence about a group to judge a particular member of that group is often found objectionable. One natural explanation of why this is objectionable appeals to the moral notion of respecting individuality: to properly respect individuality, we need individualized evidence, not pure statistical evidence. However, this explanation has been criticized on the ground that there is no fundamental difference between the so-called "individualized evidence" and "pure statistical evidence". This paper defends the respecting-individuality explanation by developing an account of what it means to respect individuality. It combines an idealistic account of respecting individuality and a prioritization account of respecting individuality, and offers a principled way to distinguish individualized evidence from non-individualized evidence. Austin, a forty-year-old white businessman, is waiting for taxi outside of a high-end shopping mall in Shanghai. A flower peddler approaches him and asks: "Sir, would you like to buy a flower for this beautiful lady?" pointing to a young Chinese woman standing next to him, whom Austin does not know. The peddler takes them to be a couple. Out of curiosity, Austin asks the peddler why he came to this belief. Imagine three different scenarios: Peddler 1: The peddler responds that he believes that most middle-aged white men are attracted to young Chinese women. Peddler 2: The peddler responds that his company has actually conducted systematic research in the past ten years, according to which a middle-aged white man and a young Chinese woman appearing next to each other in this shopping district have a high chance to be in a relationship.
Using pure statistical evidence about a group to judge a particular member of that group is often... more Using pure statistical evidence about a group to judge a particular member of that group is often found objectionable. One natural explanation of why this is objectionable appeals to the moral notion of respecting individuality: to properly respect individuality, we need individualized evidence, not pure statistical evidence. However, this explanation has been criticized on the ground that there is no fundamental difference between the so-called "individualized evidence" and "pure statistical evidence". This paper defends the respecting-individuality explanation by developing an account of what it means to respect individuality. It combines an idealistic account of respecting individuality and a prioritization account of respecting individuality, and offers a principled way to distinguish individualized evidence from non-individualized evidence. Austin, a forty-year-old white businessman, is waiting for taxi outside of a high-end shopping mall in Shanghai. A flower peddler approaches him and asks: "Sir, would you like to buy a flower for this beautiful lady?" pointing to a young Chinese woman standing next to him, whom Austin does not know. The peddler takes them to be a couple. Out of curiosity, Austin asks the peddler why he came to this belief. Imagine three different scenarios: Peddler 1: The peddler responds that he believes that most middle-aged white men are attracted to young Chinese women. Peddler 2: The peddler responds that his company has actually conducted systematic research in the past ten years, according to which a middle-aged white man and a young Chinese woman appearing next to each other in this shopping district have a high chance to be in a relationship.
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Drafts by Ye Liang