Lous Pojman described merit as any positive quality which forms the basis for allocating positive ascription such as rewards and praise. This means that good deeds deserve positive recognition while on the other hand; a demerit being a characteristic that brings about negative ascription deserves punishments and penalties. However it should be noted that merits are given according to the contributions made, and the referential positive impact from the act. For instance, a brilliant student merits an A+ when the course is easy. A reward is associated with action since it is brought about by what is willingly done or produced. For example, a well-trained karate fighter deserves to win a match, because he has trained harder than any other competitor they are competing with (Waller, 2008).
However, based on the stages of moral development proposed by philosophers against this stance; the psychoanalytic account of morality argues that morality is founded on avoiding bad feelings like guilt and anxiety. Under the behaviorist account of morality; it is argued that children generate their own moral definitions and judgments, therefore, no standard definition of merit and demerit. However based on the real-world application it is clear that; punishment avoids the re-commission of demerits while rewards enforce obedience and merits (Waller, 2008).
I agree with Pojman’s contentions that we deserve what we get because when a good act is rewarded it encourages another good one in society; hence this helps to build a society where people will be striving to do good so that they can be rewarded as they avoid evil deeds to escape punishment. In a real application, it is evident that society requires one to do what he or she is best at, as though this efficiency and welfare are promoted. For instance, the best teachers are needed for marking national examinations; as a way of avoiding the utilitarian considerations of guilt that the process may not have been administered professionally. For instance, in a society where the crime rate is high, an innocent person is framed and capital punishment is imposed on them to discourage crime and as a result improve society’s well-being. In the real sense, one deserves punishment for his deeds and therefore no innocent person deserves to be hanged to control crime (Pojman, 1999).
Secondly, justice needs to be shown to everyone in the society equally; as per the ancient Roman law which contends that justice is the everlasting will of giving everyone what he deserves. Justice is realized when one is rewarded in a direct proportion to his or her investment. For example in the Koran, a ruler will sin against God and the state if he assigns a man a given office, which is more deserved by another through merits (Waller, 2008).
In addition, everyone deserves what he or she earns as it is stated within the Christian bible, that one reaps what he or she sows. In Psalms 1; an individual who is righteous is equated to a tree grown by the river which produces its fruits throughout the right term in the year (Psalms 1 New International version). This means that good deeds will prevail in society and continue having rewards. The scripture also states how the wicked are punished by being destined to death and their deeds coming to an end in the society; as chaff is carried away by the wind. When one does a good thing to others, he or she will be reciprocated with a good thing as the bible states in the book of Obad 1:15 (Obadiah 1: 15). This shows that we should strive to do what will not hurt others and expect the same from them. Those who do what is right will be rewarded according to their deeds as Paul wrote in Rom. 2:6-8, that God shall give payment to men with regard to their actions (2nd Romans 5: 17). In this case, he will give eternal life to those who uncomplainingly did right and searched for His splendor and honor. In anger to those people who disobeyed the truth and did evil, death will be their reward. Therefore, everyone will get his or her reward for good or evil deeds in society, thus it is proper that the evil suffer while the righteous thrive because of their characters of cruelty or purity respectively. These points, therefore, support Pojman’s contentions contained that we deserve what earn in society (Pojman, 1999).
On the other hand, there were problems that faced Pojman’s contentions contained, as it can be shown by predestination which states that human deeds are predestined by nature. God knew that Judas will betray Jesus Christ so that the promise should be fulfilled, thus Judas could have done nothing to prevent it. God had known about the sufferings we will go through long before creating us, thus we have to suffer because it is his will. From this, you can argue that criminals are predestined and their rewards are already set no matter how much effort they put in doing what is right. However, it should also be noted that we are inclined to have merits or demerits through birthright, cleverness, or our social statuses. For example, women are not given the same respect as men because of their sex and a brilliant student will score an A+ in calculus not because he or she worked harder than other students. Paul in Eph. 2:8-9 said that we are saved by loveliness through our trust in God and not by our hard work, thus hard work is not rewarded in this case. However, there are instances where one does not get what he/she deserves because of corruption and favoritism in society. For example, the son of a wealthy person in a company is employed leaving out a person qualified for the job. All the above points show that Pojman’s arguments were not true (Pojman & McLeod, 1998).
In conclusion, despite the few problems Pojman’s contentions contain including predestined nature of human beings and the predisposition through birthright and cleverness or social status; rewards are directly proportional to their actions. One is rewarded according to the actions and effort he or she puts or punished according to his/her evil deeds. In a corruption-free society, rewards promote people’s behavior as a rewarded behavior calls for another good behavior. Both the Christian’s bible and the Muslim’s Koran, indicate that one should be rewarded according to their deeds and the efforts they put. In a society where good deeds are rewarded and evil punished, people will be striving to do what is right and avoid evil. A society of hardworking and righteous people will be built where they are motivated by the rewards they get after doing what is right (Pojman, 1999).
Reference
Pojman, L. & McLeod, O. (1998). What Do We Deserve?: A Reader on Justice and Desert. Canada: Oxford University Press.
Pojman, L. (1999). Merit: Why Do We Value It?. Journal of Social Philosophy, 30:83-102. Washington: Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Waller, B. (2008). Consider Ethics: Readings and Contemporary Issues. New York: Longman/Publications.
Zondervan. (2002). NIV Study Bible, Fully rev. Ed. Kenneth L. Barker, gen. Ed. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan. Print