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9Dec

Popper Seminar by Weng Kin San (LSE)

Hosted by the Department of Philosophy, Logic and Scientific Method
In Person at LAK 2.06, Lakatos Building London, WC2A 2AE United Kingdom. Online (Via Zoom).
Tuesday 9 December 2025 2pm - 3.30pm

Title: Spurious Correlations in Welfare Distribution

Abstract: Those deficient in vitamin B tend to be otherwise healthier than those deficient in vitamin C. Of course, B-deficiency doesn't cause better health. Rather, B-deficiency is associated with a vegetarian diet and C-deficiency with a meat-heavy diet; and meat consumption is correlated with worse health. Egalitarians say to benefit the otherwise worse-off. Should they therefore prioritise treating the C-deficient? More generally, is there an egalitarian reason to distribute benefits on the basis of traits merely spuriously correlated with---but not causally linked to---being worse-off?

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