POLS 207 Lecture 3
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Life, Liberty, and ...
The pursuit of happiness
Valuing Human Life
Life is invaluable; who are we to decide the fate of one who can decide for himself or herself?
Texas is not a typical state: Texas valuation of life is much less than that of most other states.
| Death Claims by Employment | Median | Mean |
|---|---|---|
| Victim Employed | $254,018 | $512,917 |
| Victim Unemployed | $166,996 | $326,547 |
| Employed & Work-Related | $293,683 | $589,709 |
| Employed & Not Work-Related | $233,795 | $471,149 |
Nat'l avg. $7 million per life
Texas max mean $589,709
Texas max mean $589,709
Population of the US
- Coastal states (esp. east coast) have highest population density
- Delaware, New Jersey, Connecticut, Rhode Island, and Hawaii have highest percentage metropolitan (generally mostly northeast)
- Wyoming, Northeast have highest Per Capita Personal income
- Large percentage of south (esp. Louisiana and Missisippi) live in poverty
- North has highest high school completion percentage; south has least.
- Colorado and east coast have most people with at leatst bachelor's degree
- Plains states and California—generally southern states— have highest violence rate
After-Class Special
Making decision involving life and death: If I don't make this decision, how much will be lost? How much will be gained?
Opportunity cost is the value of the next best alternative; the loss of potential gained from other alternate decisions
A car turns over with 4 people in it. You can only save one. Who do you save?