Moral Contractualism

This article provides a critical introduction to contractualism as a moral or ethical theory, that is, as a theory of the rightness and wrongness of individual conduct - focusing specifically on the influential 'Kantian' version of contractualism due to T. M. Scanlon. I begin by elucidating the key features of Scanlon's contractualism: justifiability to others; reasonable rejectability; the individualist restriction; and mutual recognition. I then turn to discuss both its appeal and the main objections that have been raised to it - objections concerning our duties to the cognitively limited and impaired, aggregation, demandingness, normativity and explanatory adequacy. I conclude by mentioning some contractualist alternatives to Scanlon's theory

Appeal · Contractualism · Epistemology · Ethical theory · Individualism · Law and economics · Methodological individualism · Normative ethics · Political science · Sociology · Free Will and Agency · Law · Philosophical Ethics and Theory · Philosophy · War, Ethics, and Justification

• Rationality, uncertainty, and unanimity

  Open Access•Alexander Schaefer•Economics and Philosophy•2021

  Añadir item

• Hooker's rule‐consequentialism and Scanlon's contractualism—A re‐evaluation

  Open Access•Jussi Suikkanen•Ratio•2022

  Añadir item

• The procreation asymmetry asymmetry

  Open Access•Adam Lerner•Philosophical Studies•2023

  Añadir item

• Why Contractualism Cannot Accept Equal Treatment for Equal Statistical Loss

  Open Access•Jay Zameska•Journal of Ethics and Social…•2025

  Añadir item

• Contractualism for Us As We Are

  Open Access•Nicholas Southwood•Philosophy and Phenomenological…•2018

  Añadir item

• A Theory of Justice

  John Rawls•Theory of Justice•1971

  Añadir item

• Justifying the State

  David Schmidtz•Ethics•1990

  Añadir item

• Justice As Impartiality

  Brian M Barry, Brian Barry•Justice as impartiality•1995

  Añadir item

• Equality and Partiality

  Daniel A Cohen, Daniel Cohen et al.•Michigan Law Review•1993

  Añadir item

• The Sources of Normativity

  Open Access•Christine M Korsgaard, Onora O’neill et al.•Sources of Normativity•1996

  Añadir item

• Contractualism and Aggregation

  Alastair Norcro, Alastair Norcross•Social Theory and Practice•2002

  Añadir item

• Contractualism and Moral Status

  David Phillips•Social Theory and Practice•1998

  Añadir item

• Contractualism, spare wheel, aggregation

  Brad Hooker•Critical Review of International…•2002

  Añadir item

• Saving Scanlon

  Open Access•Martin Ridge, Michael Ridge•Journal of Political Philosophy•2001

  Añadir item

• The Redundancy Objection, and Why Scanlon is Not a Contractualist

  Open Access•Tamra Frei•Journal of Political Philosophy•2008

  Añadir item

• How to Include the Severely Disabled in a Contractarian Theory of Justice

  Open Access•Cynthia A Stark•Journal of Political Philosophy•2007

  Añadir item

• Moral Relativism Defended

  Gilbert Harman•The Philosophical Review•1975

  Añadir item

• The Common Mind

  R A Wilson, Rob Wilson et al.•The Philosophical Review•1994

  Añadir item

• The Limits of Moral Constructivism

  Open Access•Mark Timmons•Ratio•2003

  Añadir item

• The Demandingness of Scanlon’s Contractualism

  Elizabeth Ashford•Ethics•2003

  Añadir item

• The Rejection of Consequentialism

  Samuel Scheffler•Rejection of Consequentialism•1984

  Añadir item

• A deliberative model of contractualism

  Open Access•Nicholas Southwood•Politics Philosophy & Economics•2008

  Añadir item

• The Numbers Problem

  Open Access•Nien‐hê Hsieh, Nien-Hê Hsieh et al.•Philosophy & Public Affairs•2006

  Añadir item

• Defending the Moral Moderate

  Open Access•Rahul Kumar•Philosophy & Public Affairs•1999

  Añadir item