Social Randomization: Can Lotteries be a General-Purpose Device to Deal with Societal Issues?

Abstract

The article explores the extended version of the idea that intentional randomization (of which lotteries are a special case), can be a useful tool for dealing with various social and political problems that go beyond minor issues. It contributes to the discussion of lotteries in social and political affairs in three ways. First, it argues that randomization is applicable to various types of tasks, not limited to the choice between discrete alternatives, as it is usually perceived. This broadens the scope of its possible applications to include, for example, tasks related to evaluation or policy-making. Second, it describes the variety of possible reasons and rationales for using social randomization, thus further extending the applicability of lotteries to societal issues. While normative reasons for lotteries such as equality, fairness and epistemic rationality are often cited in philosophical discussions, there are many pragmatic reasons to use them for socially meaningful purposes. Third, based on this variety of use, the article proposes the heuristic Default Randomization Principle claiming that randomization can be a general approach to social and political affairs used as a default option. By considering randomization as a general-purpose device, it is easier to recognize and realize the potential of social randomization and to resolve some common arguments against the use of random choice in public affairs.