State perfectionism: A critical analysis of John Rawls based on John Finnis' new natural law theory
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.21527/2317-5389.2023.21.12777Abstract
The purpose of this article is to present the state perfectionism defended by the neoclassical tradition of natural law – especially from the analytical philosopher of law John Finnis. Such political theory argued that the State can and should intervene in the lives of its citizens in favor of a perspective of good life or human flourishing. However, as a central issue, it is questioned that, in a plural and democratic society, there is supposedly the indispensability of a neutral state action, which does not benefit individuals based on controversial and contradictory views of excellence. Thus, with the objective of scrutinizing the exposed demand, first, it investigates the conception supported by John Rawls, prominent defender of state anti-perfectionism in the 20th century; then, it analyzes the foundation of the finnisian political theory – community, flourishing and authority –; so that, finally, after the criticism directed at Rawlsian arguments, the delimitation of the political common good, as the sphere of state action in the conduct of people, can emerge as a perfectionist political alternative.
References
AQUINO, Santo Tomás de. Summa Theologiae. Tradução Alexandre Corrêa. Caxias do Sul, RS: Sulina, 1980. Edição bilíngue (latim-português).
FINNIS, John. Aquinas: moral, political, and legal theory. New York: Oxford University Press, 1998.
FINNIS, John. Human Rights and Common Good. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2011a.
FINNIS, John. Is natural law theory compatible with limited government? In: GEORGE, Robert P. (ed.). Natural law, Liberalism, and Morality. Clarendon Press: Oxford, 1996. p. 1-26.
FINNIS, John. Lei natural e direitos naturais. São Leopoldo: Editora Unisinos, 2007.
FINNIS, John. Natural Law and Natural Rights. 2. ed. New York: Oxford University Press, 2011b.
FINNIS, John. Philosophy of Law. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2011c.
FINNIS, John. Reason in action. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2011d.
FINNIS, John; GRISEZ, Germain; BOYLE, Joseph. Practical Principles, Moral Truth and Ultimate Ends. Journal Articles, 1987.
GEORGE, Robert. Making men moral: civil liberties and public morality. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1993.
MORRISON, Wayne. Filosofia do direito: dos gregos ao pós-modernismo. São Paulo: Martins Fontes, 2012.
NAGEL, Thomas. Rawls on justice. The Philosophical Review, v. 82, n. 2, p. 220-234, 1973.
RAWLS, John. Political liberalism. Columbia: Columbia University Press, 2005.
RAWLS, John. A theory of justice. Harvard: Harvard University Press, 1999.
RIKER, Dienny. A razão do casamento: uma reflexão filosófica a partir da lei natural. Brasília: Episteme, 2020.
REDONNET, Diego M. Serrano. Liberalismo, neutralidad estatal y perfeccionismo: Rawls y su crítica. Prudentia Iuris, n. 73, p. 117-144, 2012.
SOUZA, Elden; PINHEIRO, Victor. A interdependência entre democracia, bem comum e direitos humanos: contribuições jusnaturalistas. In: PINHEIRO, Victor Sales (org). A filosofia do direito natural de John Finnis: vol. 1: conceitos fundamentais. Rio de Janeiro: Lumen Juris, 2020.
TOLLEFSEN, Christopher. Pure Perfectionism and the Limits of Paternalism. In: KEOWN, John; GEORGE, Robert P. (ed.). Reason, Morality, and Law: The Philosophy of John Finnis, 2013. p. 204.
TOLLEFSEN, Christopher. The new natural law theory. Lyceum, [S.l.], v. 10, n. 1, p. 1-17, 2008.
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2023 Revista Direitos Humanos e Democracia
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Authors who publish in Revista Revista Direitos Humanos e Democracia agree to the following terms:
The works published in Revista Direitos Humanos e Democracia follow the license for journals and research in all environments, whether commercial or non-commercial, that make up the international scientific communication system. The journal is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
The editorial team authorizes free access and wide distribution of the published content, provided that the source is cited, i.e., credit is given to the authors and Revista Direitos Humanos e Democracia, and the text is preserved in its entirety. Authors are allowed to deposit pre-print and post-print versions in institutional or thematic repositories or on their personal webpage (website, blog), as long as it is open access and without any embargo period.
Authors retain copyright and grant the journal the right of first publication, with the work simultaneously licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, which allows sharing the work with acknowledgment of authorship and initial publication in this journal.
Authors are authorized to enter into separate additional contracts for non-exclusive distribution of the work published in this journal (e.g., publishing in an institutional repository or as a book chapter), with recognition of authorship and initial publication in this journal.
Authors are permitted and encouraged to publish and distribute their work online (e.g., in institutional repositories or on their personal webpage) at any point before or during the editorial process, as this may lead to productive changes, as well as increase the impact and citation of the published work (See The Effect of Open Access).
