What Is Instrumental Reason

Jean Hampton argues that instrumental conceptions of reason are “inescapably normative.” In order to deduce what she means by this, it is important to define what a norm is. As stated by Hampton, “a norm is something that is taken to have authority over our decision-making in the sense that it gives us a reason to act, choose, or believe as the norm directs… where this reason is supposed to be decisive in some circumstances.” An appeal to norms is therefore implicit in all moral theories, as you are judging an agents motives by reference to a norm that is taken to be authoritative over the decision making capacities of such agent in this situation. An instrumental reason is often seen as being external, in which case an agents reason

A major mark of “property in the person” is that it is alienable and therefore it can be subject to contract. This property however, can be broken down into two further major categories: one alienable and the other inalienable by the owner. This becomes evident in the employment contract. People willingly enter into the contract of employment and therefore are subject to exploitation and subordination. In this sense, if the owner voluntarily contracts out part of the property in his person, there cannot be a question of injustice. The owner therefore for a temporary amount of time, relinquishes ownership when he alienates part if his property in the

When rights are alienable, such as in the case of “property in the person” this leads to dominium or absolutism. This theory that one can contract out part of their person as their “person” is alienable, is the basis for the employment contract. This model represents the change in paid work as an exchange of property. This employment contract developed in tandem with the marriage contract, with the subordination of wives presupposed by the institution of employment. Pateman is therefore arguing that there is a deliberate structure that causes subordination, and it is the product of there being an active choice at the heart of the contract. Subordination is thus ignored as there is a starting assumption in the example of the marriage contract, that women are more inclined to be subordinated. She is arguing that it is inherent throughout history that subordination is a mere fact of life predisposing some sectors of society to be dominated and separated from those with