Theory of Justice: Political Activity or Authentic Development? | ||
| The International Journal of Humanities | ||
| Article 4, Volume 26, Issue 1, 2019, Pages 44-54 PDF (694.33 K) | ||
| Document Type: Original Research | ||
| Author | ||
| Shahriar Shafaghi* | ||
| Chief Research Officer, Afarinesh Center for Research on Social Development, Tehran, Iran | ||
| Abstract | ||
| In this article, it will be shown that philosophers/theoreticians of justice, such as John Rawls, are engaged in a kind of performative contradiction, since despite their implicit call for justice, their mere academic activities in developing a theory of justice, does not really help the cause of justice in society. Then by referring to thoughts of Heidegger, Levinas, and Nietzsche, among others, it will be shown that although the struggle to achieve social justice is necessary and has the highest priority, it is an impossible task; and yet human beings are existentially obliged to engage in this unavoidable task. Finally, it will be shown as why this "task of social justice" will be best achieved as, what could be called, "authentic development" or horizontal development at the bottom, and playing chess with the powers that be. In defining "authentic development," it will be compared with what Denis Goulet calls by the same name; where he defines the desired development with its results, rather than its process. | ||
| Keywords | ||
| Development; Authentic Development; Possible Impossible; Death; Eternal Return; Fredrich Nietzsche; Martin Heidegger; Emmanuel Levinas; Jacques Rancière; John Rawls; Denis Goulet; Opportunity of Freedom | ||
| References | ||
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