December 30, 2010
by peter.taylor
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The core values of my college begin with 1. evidence-based development of practice and 2. commitment to social justice. In many academic units, not only my college, equivalent values are spoken about, if not stated explicitly. What follows logically, if … Continue reading
December 25, 2010
by peter.taylor
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Biology says human life does not begin at conception. The sperm and the egg are already living, functioning, human entities. They are certainly not dead; nor are they non-human. Yuval Levin (“A Middle Ground for Stem Cells“) could, therefore, extend … Continue reading
December 23, 2010
by peter.taylor
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Toward a political theory of injustice (completing a series of posts) In listing of the burdens of building a theory of justice upon a basis of moral justification I have foreshadowed alternative approaches to questions of justice and injustice. This … Continue reading
December 22, 2010
by peter.taylor
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The burdens of moral justification My reconstruction+ of Rawls’ TJ has led us to a place where questions can be raised that challenge moral theory more generally. The inferred justification for foundationalist rhetoric given before the interlude, namely, the power … Continue reading
December 21, 2010
by peter.taylor
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Interlude: Constructivism+ in relation to other Critiques within Moral Philosophy (continuing a series of posts) The constructivist+ interpretation I have been developing is broadly sympathetic with feminist formulations of moral theory (Card 1991, Kittay and Meyers 1987), with post-modern, anti-foundationalist … Continue reading
December 20, 2010
by peter.taylor
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a constructivist+ perspective will lead to a much less generous assessment of Rawls’ coherence (continuing a series of posts) Rawls’ reconstruction+, phase 2 Two central components of Rawls’ derivation of his framework will concern me here, one explicit and the … Continue reading
December 19, 2010
by peter.taylor
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A reconstruction+ of Rawls, phase 1 (continuing a series of posts) The Original Position (O.P.) corresponds to a requirement that institutions of social justice be established (at least in broad outline) in an initial contract and not subject to repeated … Continue reading
December 18, 2010
by peter.taylor
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A reconstruction+ of Rawls, phase 1 (continuing a series of posts) To apply a constructivist+ perspective to Rawls in A Theory of Justice (TJ) requires reinterpretation of his work so as to include reference to its social background. Moreover, given … Continue reading
December 17, 2010
by peter.taylor
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From constructivism to constructivism+ (continuing a series of posts) A convenient route for me to begin to develop a constructivist+ perspective and its implications is opened up by the distinction between natural and constructivist theories of justice (see Dworkin [1973], … Continue reading
December 16, 2010
by peter.taylor
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Continuing from my first post using a “constructivism+” framework to reconstruct Rawls’s Theory of Justice: Constructivism+, to be consistent, must be applicable to its proponents’ own arguments. Let me help readers begin to develop an interpretation of the social location … Continue reading