Synopsis
Popular Harvard professor Michael J. Sandel uses ancient philosophy to address contemporary crises, as he attempts to decipher the concept of "justice" within the complexities of the modern world. Sandel shows that every social issue, whether public (immigration, military invasion, government bailouts) or private (the benefits and limits of charity, honesty, or ambition), is essentially reducible to a determinable balance, with the rights of the individual on one side and the benefit to the greater good on the other. Sandel provides lucid analyses of the justice theories of some of history's greatest thinkers, from Kant to Shakespeare to John Rawls to Matt Groening, allowing his illuminating interpretations of their ideas to serve as guides to lead us through the moral quandaries of the moment.
| Details | | Publication Date: | 2009-09-15 |
| Size | | Length: | 308 pages | | Height: | 9.5 in | | Width: | 6.3 in | | Thickness: | 1.2 in | | Weight: | 18.4 oz |
Publisher's Note
A Harvard professor assesses the role of justice in today's society as well as the moral responsibilities faced by everyday citizens, weighing a range of issues from euthanasia and abortion to affirmative action and tax structuring. 50,000 first printing.
Industry Reviews
"For those seeking a short course through moral philosophy from a witty writer, fast on his feet, and nimble with his pen, this thin volume is difficult to beat....Sandel...is a master at using modern-day news to highlight different approaches to justice."
(09/27/2009)
"The author has a talent for making the difficult...readily comprehensible, and his relentless, though never oppressive, reason shines throughout the narrative. Sparkling commentary from the professor we all wish we had." (starred review)
(09/15/2009)
"Sandel's appeal lies partly in the striking hypotheticals he throws out, such as whether it's okay to kill one person directly...to save three others....He also discusses thorny issues with clarity, insight and a broad range of references..."
(10/25/2009)
"What JUSTICE does, and does very well, is teach. Sandel explains theories of justice based on utilitarianism (minimize social harm), libertarianism (maximize personal freedom) and communitarianism (cultivate civic virtue) with clarity and immediacy honed by years of classroom presentation; the ideas of Aristotle, Jeremy Bentham, Immanuel Kant, John Stuart Mill, Robert Nozick and John Rawls have rarely, if ever, been set out as accessibly."
(11/29/2009)
"Although JUSTICE doesn't fully succeed in bottling the formula of Sandel's class--how could it?--it is easily the most accessible primer on the topic now available. But Sandel aspires to do more than merely vulgarize the available positions in political theory and explore them through contemporary examples: he is calling...for nothing less than a reinvigoration of citizenship."
(12/07/2009)
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