Full Description
Justice as Right Actions presents an original theory of justice anchored in the analytical philosophical tradition. In contrast to many contemporary approaches, the theory provides normative guidance, rather than focusing solely on political structures and institutions, as the question of justice is seen to comprise both a moral inquiry concerned with questions of good and bad, right and wrong, and a political inquiry, concerned with the nature of the polity and how individuals relate to it.
Presenting a relational account of justice, rather than a distributive account - the latter, so much more prevalent in current studies - communications are seen as the key to the theory, both in the substantive sense as a discursive method of resolving disputes, as well as instrumentally, in the transmission of concepts, especially values through time.
Rule-oriented in approach, justice as right actions attempts to be value-neutral, acknowledging, however, an underlying thin theory of the good, including concepts of rationality, autonomous moral agency, equal concern and respect for others, as well as plurality of values. Its political context is liberalism, with components of negative liberty and equality of concern and respect, while underscoring as well, the concepts of tolerance and social diversity.
In this study, the original theory of Justice as Right Actions is also contrasted with and situated among contemporary accounts of justice, including the most important theoretical works on the topic in the past half-century. Thus, the study also serves as a valuable review and critique of such major contemporary accounts of justice.
Contents
Part One: The Theory of Justice as Right Actions
Chapter 1 Introduction: The Theory and How it Operates
Part Two: Moral Dimensions
Chapter 2 Agency and Responsibility: Action-Guiding Principles
Chapter 3 Moral-Decision-Making and Relational Justice
Part Three: Political Liberalism
Chapter 4 Values and Liberalism
Chapter 5 Utility and the Harm Principle
Chapter 6 Liberty
Chapter 7 Equality
Part Four: The Reach of the Theory
Chapter 8 Global Justice
Chapter 9 Future Obligations of Justice
Part Five: Contemporary Disputes: The Power of Groups
Chapter 10 Group Rights
Chapter 11 Communities
Chapter 12 Multiculturalism and the Limits of Liberalism
Conclusion
Works Cited
About the Author
Index
