DONT SHOOT THE TRUMPETER - HES DOING HIS BEST - REFLECTIONS ON A PROBLEM OF FAIR DIVISION

R. B. Braithwaite's story of the pianist and trumpeter with adjoining rooms is presented, and his solution to the problem of dividing playing time fairly between them is discussed, along with alternative solutions that have been put forward. These solutions are criticized for the shared assumption that the object of distribution is utility rather than opportunity. The author proposes a different approach and works out its implications for the problem of the pianist and the trumpeter in three variants. In conclusion, the relevance of the analysis to wider issues of distribution is briefly considered. © 1979 D. Reidel Publishing Co.