 Philosophers have made use of the concept of desert in several contexts. In discussions of the nature of justice, several philosophers have advocated versions of the idea that justice obtains when goods and evils are distributed according to desert. In discussions of the concept of intrinsic value, some philosophers have suggested that happiness may be the greatest good but it has outstanding value only when enjoyed by someone who deserves it. In theories about moral obligation, some consequentialists have defended the idea that right acts lead to outcomes in which higher welfare is preferentially distributed to people who deserve it. In social and political philosophy (or philosophy of law) a number of philosophers have appealed to the concept of desert when discussing the justification of penalties for violations of law. 