Random selection? Choosing at random is a “fair” way to decide who gets some scarce good, in the sense that everyone has the same chance to win.

Random choice isn’t always a good idea—sometimes we don’t want to treat everyone the same, because some people have a better claim. In each of the 34 CHAPTER 2 Samples, Good and Bad following situations, would you support choosing at random? Give your reasons in each case.

(a) The basketball arena has 4000 student seats, and 7000 students want tickets. Shall we choose 4000 of the 7000 at random?

(b) The list of people waiting for liver transplants is much larger than the number of available livers. Shall we let impersonal chance decide who gets a transplant?

(c) During the Vietnam War, young men were chosen for army service at random, by a “draft lottery.” Is this the best way to decide who goes and who stays home?

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