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Beyond Justice As Fairness: Revolutionizing the Way We Think About Ethics

Drew Bell

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Published in Beyond Justice As Fairness: Rethinking Rawls From A Cross Cultural Perspective

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For centuries, philosophers have debated the nature of justice and fairness. From Plato to Aristotle to John Rawls, the search for a universal theory of justice has been a central preoccupation of Western thought.

Beyond Justice as Fairness: Rethinking Rawls from a Cross-Cultural Perspective

5 out of 5

Language	:	English
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Print length	:	191 pages

In his groundbreaking work, Beyond Justice As Fairness, Michael Sandel challenges our conventional notions of justice and fairness. Through a series of thought-provoking arguments and case studies, Sandel argues that justice cannot be reduced to a set of abstract principles, but rather must be understood in the context of our values and our common humanity.

Sandel's Critique of Rawls

Sandel's primary target is the work of John Rawls, who in his influential book A Theory of Justice, argues that justice can be understood as a set of fair principles that would be chosen by rational individuals in an "original position" of ignorance. Rawls argues that these principles would include the right to equal basic liberties, the right to a fair equality of opportunity, and the right to a fair share of the social surplus.

Sandel argues that Rawls's theory is too abstract and that it fails to take into account the importance of our values and our common humanity. He argues that justice cannot be reduced to a set of principles, but rather must be understood in the context of our concrete experiences and our relationships with others.

Sandel's Positive Theory of Justice

In place of Rawls's theory, Sandel offers his own positive theory of justice. He argues that justice is based on the idea of reciprocity, or the mutual recognition of our obligations to one another. He claims that we are all bound by a duty of beneficence to help those in need, and that we are all entitled to a fair share of the benefits of society.

Sandel's theory of justice is based on the idea of the common good. He argues that justice requires us to work together to create a society that is good for all of us, not just for the most fortunate. He claims that we have a duty to promote the common good, and that we should be willing to sacrifice our own self-interest for the sake of the greater good.

Beyond Justice As Fairness is a provocative and challenging work that has revolutionized the way we think about ethics. Sandel's arguments are powerful and persuasive, and they offer a new way of understanding justice and fairness. This book is essential reading for anyone who is interested in the foundations of morality and the nature of the good life.

Beyond Justice as Fairness: Rethinking Rawls from a Cross-Cultural Perspective

5 out of 5