Plural Values and Heterogeneous Situations. Considerations on the Scope for a Political Theory of Justice

European Journal of Political Theory, 6(3), 2007. pp. 359-375.

21 Pages Posted: 15 Nov 2013

See all articles by Emanuela Ceva

Emanuela Ceva

University of Pavia, Department of Political and Social Sciences

Date Written: July 1, 2007

Abstract

This paper aims to investigate the way in which a political theory of justice should respond to the endorsement of pluralism. After offering reasons in support of the necessity for such a theory to take pluralism seriously, an argument is put forward for its characterisation in minimal and procedural terms. However, taking issue with the straightforward relationship of implication identified by a number of scholars between pluralism and procedural justice, this paper contends that a direct relation can only be established between pluralism and the need to define a minimal theory of justice, i.e. a theory that assumes as little as possible in terms of values and views of the world. Its procedural formulation is seen, instead, as a consequence of the limited predictive power of theory facing the heterogeneous situations with which it is expected to deal.

Keywords: Justice, Justification, Pluralism, Procedural Justice, Substantive Justice, Theories of Justice

Suggested Citation

Ceva, Emanuela, Plural Values and Heterogeneous Situations. Considerations on the Scope for a Political Theory of Justice (July 1, 2007). European Journal of Political Theory, 6(3), 2007. pp. 359-375. , Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=2354883

Emanuela Ceva (Contact Author)

University of Pavia, Department of Political and Social Sciences ( email )

Corso Strada Nuova, 65
27100 Pavia, 27100
Italy

HOME PAGE: http://www-3.unipv.it/webdsps/en/docente.php?id=ceva

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