Freedom's Right: The Social Foundations of Democratic Life (Paperback) (ISBN-13: 9780231162470)

Theories of justice often fixate on purely normative, abstract principles unrelated to real-world situations. The philosopher and theorist Axel Honneth addresses this disconnect, and constructs a theory of justice derived from the normative claims of Western liberal-democratic societies and anchored in morally legitimate laws and institutionally established practices.

Honneth's paradigm--which he terms "a democratic ethical life"--draws on the spirit of Hegel's Philosophy of Right and his own theory of recognition, demonstrating how concrete social spheres generate the tenets of individual freedom and a standard for what is just. Using social analysis to re-found a more grounded theory of justice, he argues that all crucial actions in Western civilization, whether in personal relationships, market-induced economic activities, or the public forum of politics, share one defining characteristic: they require the realization of a particular aspect of individual freedom. This fundamental truth informs the guiding principles of justice, enabling a wide-ranging reconsideration of its nature and application.

Author: Axel Honneth
ISBN-10: 0231162472
ISBN-13: 9780231162470
Publisher: Columbia University Press
Language: English
Published: 12/15/2015
Pages: 448
Format: Paperback
Weight: 1.30lbs
Size: 8.70h x 5.50w x 1.30d