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The pursuit of the ideal

In: Justice and Democracy

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Abstract

Chapter 2 provides an extended critique of a recent contribution to justice theory by political philosopher Gerald Gaus (2016). His book The Tyranny of the Ideal: Justice in a Diverse Society, takes issue with theories of justice that seek to lay down, once and for all, ethically charged rules or principles that guarantee ideal outcomes. I take issue with the manner in which he seeks to establish the pursuit of ideal justice as necessary to arrive at a Popperian-style ‘open society’ view of justice and counter his critique of Sen’s ‘climbing approach’, focussing on the analytical cogency of ‘ontological time’. I also critique Alan Thomas’ attempt in Republic of Equals to marry Rawlsian principles of justice with a republican conception, arguing that he does not adequately deal with the objective circumstances of justice in modern real-existing capitalist democracies.

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  • ., 2021. "The pursuit of the ideal," Chapters, in: Justice and Democracy, chapter 2, pages 30-65, Edward Elgar Publishing.
  • Handle: RePEc:elg:eechap:19965_2
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