Human existence is marked by pain, limitation, disability, disease,
suffering, and death. These facts of life and of death give ample
grounds for characterizing much of the human condition as unfortunate. A
core philosophical question is whether the circumstances are in addition
unfair or unjust in the sense of justifying claims on the resources,
time, and abilities of others. The temptation to use the languages of
rights and of justice is und- standable. Faced with pain, disability,
and death, it seems natural to complain that "someone should do
something", "this is unfair", or "it just isn't fight that people should
suffer this way". Yet it is one thing to complain about the unfairness
of another's actions, and another thing to complain about the unfairness
of biological or physical processes. If no one is to blame for one's
illness, disability, or death, in what sense are one's unfortunate
circumstances unfair or unjust? How can claims against others for aid
and support arise if no one has caused the unfortunate state of affairs?
To justify the languages of fights to health care or justice in health
care requires showing why particular unfortunate circumstances are also
unfair, in the sense of demanding the labors of others. It requires
understanding as well the limits of property claims. After all, claims
regarding justice in health care or about fights to health care limit
the property fights of those whose resources will be used to provide
care.
