Ben Laurence, associate professor of philosophy at the University of Chicago and visiting ethicist for the Jackson Family Center for Ethics and Values, will present "Perspectives on Social Justice: The Moral Challenge of Inequality" on Thursday, March 17, at 4 p.m. in the James J. Johnson Auditorium as part of the Tea and Ethics program sponsored by the Jackson Center. A reception will follow in the anteroom and will offer tea and cookies. The event is free and open to the public.

Laurence believes that "economic inequality is just only if it can be justified to those who have less. This is only possible when economic inequality is situated against the background of two other substantial kinds of equality, namely fair and democratic equalities."

In fair equality, everyone with similar talents should have an equal chance at securing the more favorable economic position. With democratic equality, inequality should not be the product of the equal opportunity of citizens to affect political outcomes.

Laurence will present the basic rationale for these requirements, and consider some research indicating that our society falls short of satisfying them.

Tea and Ethics is a forum sponsored by the Jackson Family Center for Ethics and Values which inspires individuals to make ethical and value-based decisions. The Jackson Center aims to create opportunities for open conversations about how ethics and values affect the individual, the University, the region and the world.

Johnson Auditorium is in Room 116 of the E. Craig Wall Sr. College of Business Administration Building, located at 119 Chanticleer Drive E. on the Conway campus.