Social PhilosophyM.E. Sharpe, 1999 - 245 pages This short and accessible introductory text discusses how people in a pluralistic society such as ours can accept a common social ethic -- a publicly justified morality. It presents clear analyses of the basic concepts, including justifications of liberty, harm to others, private property rights, distributive justice, environmental harms, help to others and offensive behavior. Gaus acquaints the reader with the major figures in social philosophy -- John Stuart Mill, Jeremy Bentham, Thomas Hobbes, John Locke, David Hume, John Rawls, David Gauthier, and Joel Feinberg -- as well as recent communitarian philosophers. The basic technical aspects of social philosophy are also introduced: game theory, social choice theory, the ideas rational action, rational bargaining, and public goods. Throughout, helpful short examples and stories are used to illustrate the material. |
Contents
Moral Authoritarianism and Relativism | 3 |
Public Justification | 19 |
Valuepromoting Public Moralities | 29 |
Copyright | |
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accept action agree Alf's argued argument authoritarian autonomy basic benefits Bentham Betty Betty's chap Chapter Charlie choice choose claim conception condition Consider contractors contractualist cooperation David Gauthier David Hume desert disagreement fair Feinberg freedom Gauthier goal pursuers goal-pursuing moral persons harmful act Hobbes Hobbesian human Ibid individuals insist Joel Feinberg John Rawls John Stuart Mill liberal liberty living maximin maximize Mill Mill's nature neo-Hobbesian Offensive Nuisance Principle one's Oxford pain paternalism personal ideals pleasure Pool Lounger preferences prisoner's dilemma problem prohibit property rights Proviso Public Harm Principle public justification public morality publicly justified rational Rawls Rawls's Rawlsian reasonable goal-pursuing moral regulative interests reject requires Robert Nozick rule seeks seems set back share simply social contract social morality society someone Suppose teleological teleological argument theory Theory of Justice things tion Treatise of Government utilitarian veil of ignorance voluntary wants welfare interests wrong X-ing