Justice in Theory and Practice

Debates about Utopianism and Political Action

Bibliographic Data

ID4079730
AuthorsBen Laurence (0000-0001-7227-595X, Physicians for Human Rights, corresponding author)
Year2023
Volume18
Issue11
Publication date2023-11-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenuePhilosophy Compass (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1747-9991 • E-ISSN: 1747-9991
PublisherWiley (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1111/phc3.12945
OpenAlexW4386309646
LanguageEN
Citations received4
References cited68

This essay provide an overview of debates about the method of political philosophy that have recently gripped the field, focusing on the relationship of theory to practice. These debates can be usefully organized using two oppositions that together carve the field into three broad families of views. Call "practicalism" the view that the theory of justice exists to guide political action. Call "utopianism" the view that reflection on the idea of a just society plays an important role in the theory of justice. Call the view that combines the two positions, "utopian practicalism". On this view, reflection on the nature of a just society has an important role to play in guiding action. There would appear to be two ways to depart from this position: by rejecting the view's utopianism or its practicalism. So we find in the literature three broad camps: utopian practicalists, anti-utopians, and anti-practicalists. This essay provide an opinionated overview the ongoing debates between these three broad positions. It touches on the recent cases against practicalism by G.A. Cohen and David Estlund, the comparativist methodologies advocated by anti-utopians such as Amartya Sen and Gerry Gaus, and systems failure approaches of Elizabeth Anderson and David Wiens. It also considers the recent development of novel utopian practicalist perspectives in the work of theorists including Erik Wright, Tommie Shelby, Lea Ypi, Pablo Gilabert, and Ben Laurence

Action (physics · Art · Art history · Economic Justice · Epistemology · Field (mathematics · Political action · Political philosophy · Political science · Politics · Sociology · Wright · Critical Theory and Philosophy · Law · Philosophy · Political Economy and Marxism · Political Philosophy and Ethics