Considerateness

Edna Ullmann-Margalit and Cass R. Sunstein

Chapter 5 in Decisions and Social Norms, 2026, pp 112-151 from Edward Elgar Publishing

Abstract: Focussing on the extreme poles of the spectrum of human relationships, this chapter argues that considerateness is the foundation upon which our relationships are organized in both the thin, anonymous context of the public space and the thick, intimate context of the family. The first part explores the idea that considerateness is the minimum that we owe to one another in the public space. By acting considerately toward strangers we show respect to that which we share as people, namely, to our common humanity. The second part explores the idea that the family is constituted on a foundation of considerateness. Referring to the particular distribution of domestic burdens and benefits adopted by each family as its ‘family deal’, the second part argues that the considerate family deal embodies a distinct, family-oriented notion of fairness. The third part takes up the notion of family fairness, contrasting it with justice.

Keywords: Considerateness; Norms; Prisoner's Dilemma; Family fairness; Trust; Justice (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2026
ISBN: 9781035397464
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