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Analysis Of Ted Cohen 's Argument On Racial Integration

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Kaitlynn Spradlin Bob Fischer Phil 1320 Racial Integration Introduction: My main objective in this essay is to explain and object to Carl Cohen’s argument that unless racial categories are relevant to doing justice for particular persons who have suffered particular harms, the state should be color blind. Explanation: Cohen’s argument from his essay, “When Turnabout Is Not Fair Play”, consists of two premises and a conclusion which is listed below: Cohen’s Argument: 1) Unless there is a compelling need to consider racial categories, the state should be color blind. 2) Unless racial categories are relevant to doing justice for particular persons who have suffered particular harms, there is no compelling need to consider racial categories. 3) Conclusion: So, unless racial categories are relevant to doing justice for particular persons who have suffered particular harms, the state should be color blind. Reasons for Believing the Premises: Now let’s contemplate why the first premise, we should not consider racial categories, be true. Cohen describes, to us, his pool analogy which states that if one person were to push someone into the pool, then the victim would have the right to push the pusher in as well, but if the victim pushed someone else into the pool, it would not be fair. Also, showing that two wrongs do not make a right. Using this analogy to explain that “every person, white or black or brown, has rights and every person of every color who has injured because

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