New Approaches to Social Contract Theory

Texte du rabat

This book discusses new directions in social contract theory. While social contract theory has a long history in moral and political philosophy, social circumstances have significantly changed over time. It presents new approaches to social contract theory that apply to such conditions,addressing some of most pressing social problems today.

Résumé
This book features new approaches to social contract theory. Whereas traditional social contract theories and their adaptations in the twentieth century were developed for fairly homogeneous societies, societies in the twenty-first century often are characterized by conflicting first-order directives that stem from deep moral, political, religious, and cultural diversity. To address such diversity and the complexities of contemporary societies, new approaches (including formal approaches) to social contract theory have emerged that re-envision the social contract for a fragmented and sometimes polarized, yet interdependent social world. New social contract theory explores how, in a world of continuous disagreement on questions of justice, in particular the ideals of liberty and equality, society can not only progress, but also flourish and become more robust and open in its social fabric. This book brings together, for the first time, defenders and discussants of new social contract theory. It includes contributions by eminent and emerging scholars in this field. The book clarifies the distinct features of new social contract theory and provides a valuable starting point for discussion of this novel movement in social contract theory.

Contenu

• Introduction

• 1: Michael Moehler and John Thrasher: New Social Contract Theory

• Part I: Realism, Naturalism, and Social Cooperation

• 2: S. A. Lloyd: Introducing Realistic Power Relations Into the New Social Contract: A Hobbesian Example

• 3: Christopher W. Morris: A Realist Social Contract

• 4: Ken Binmore: Naturalism Versus Realism in Social Contract Models

• Part II: Inequality, Polarization, and Social Dynamics

• 5: Alexander Schaefer: Robust Reconciliation

• 6: Sahar Heydari Fard: Diversity, Polarization, and Dynamic Structures: A Structural Turn in Social Contract Theory

• 7: Cailin O'Connor: Why Natural Social Contracts Are Not Fair

• 8: Alexis Louaas: Justice and Equality From Rationality Alone: A Repeated Game Approach to Contractarianism

• Part III: Liberty, Justice, and Democratic Governance

• 9: Justin P. Bruner: Bargaining, Diversity, and the Veil

• 10: Ryan Muldoon: Harnessing Diversity, Dynamism, and Discovery

• 11: John Thrasher: Consensus, Contract, and Diversity

• 12: Michael Moehler: Diversity, Polycentricity, Justice, and the Open Society

• 13: Claire Finkelstein: Can the Liberty of Subjects Protect Against Tyranny and Corruption in Government?

• Index