Three kids and a flute

Amartya Sen's poser:

Take three kids and a flute. Anne says the flute should be given to her because she is the only one who knows how to play it. Bob says the flute should be handed to him as he is so poor he has no toys to play with. Carla says the flute is hers because she made it.

Sen argues that who gets the flute depends on your philosophy of justice. Bob, the poorest, will have the support of the economic egalitarian. The libertarian and the Marxist would opt for Carla since she made it. The utilitarian will argue for Anne because she will get the maximum pleasure, as she can actually play the instrument.

Sen states there are no institutional arrangements that can help us resolve this dispute in a universally accepted and just manner.

Other Comments:

1. Instead of asking how to allocate the flute between the three children, why not ask first under which rules would the flute have come into existence? If Carla knew she would not get the flute, she would not have made it. Therefore, just add a time dimension to the puzzle, and there's no puzzle at all: only a libertarian form of justice is consistent with the flute existing.

2. There are, alas, quite a few people who believe that if the flute isn't allocated according to their favorite rule, then it is better for the world if there is no flute.

3.  I agree Sen forgot about the production issue. He also neglected David, who says the flute is his because he is strongest and will hurt anyone who denies him.