The inquiry into Marx’s critique of justice touches on fundamental issues in Marxist theory, amon... more The inquiry into Marx’s critique of justice touches on fundamental issues in Marxist theory, among them the status of Marxist philosophy itself. The perils of reconstructing that critique are familiar enough: Marx’s comments on justice are few and scattered, they hardly constitute a “theory,” and filling them out invariably involves appealing to other, perhaps equally controversial, Marxist positions. But the risks promise reward, for such an account may demonstrate, or at least afford insight into, the uniqueness of the Marxian perspective and do so not merely by situating Marx in the terrain of previous philosophy and socialist theory. If the importance-or even existence-of a specifically Marxian philosophical viewpoint has yet to be demonstrated, it is logical to look for its expressions in the posture Marx takes towards traditional problems to see how far he stands from traditional solutions. Moreover, the critique of justice cannot make good the philosophic claims of Marxism without establishing its relevance to current political practice and the conceptions that inform that practice. It is.one thing to define the distinctive lines of a philosophical position, quite another to show why the position should be taken seriously. A successful rendering of the Marxian outlook must, I think, do both.
The most famous essays by American writers on heroism, especially in military matters, inordinate... more The most famous essays by American writers on heroism, especially in military matters, inordinately deal with the demise of heroism — the threats to it, and to the attendant ‘martial virtues’, from the dominant social forces and ideals.1 Heroism, it seems, is something we are always in danger of losing, because we are always inclined to underestimate its importance. Hence the task of the philosopher is to remind us of that importance, to explain to us why the spectre of an un-heroic world should strike us as so impoverished, ethically, aesthetically and politically.
Defenders of private property have traditionally linked the rights of owner-ship with individual ... more Defenders of private property have traditionally linked the rights of owner-ship with individual liberty. Adam Smith considered private acquisition of goods, and the propensity to "truck and barter" them for others, to be part of the "range of natural liberty" which men occupied in ...
Pacifism has always been a marginal position, but only in the 20th century did it become stigmati... more Pacifism has always been a marginal position, but only in the 20th century did it become stigmatized -i.e. dismissed and ridiculed as outside the boundaries of serious discussion. This reflected the rise of "total war", as exemplified by the century's two world wars, where the war making claims of the state on the individual became absolute, hence any questioning of war itself became heretical. After this century of war, our greatest challenge is not to repeat the endless aimless conflicts of the past. Pacifism's contribution to this is partly theoretical. Through its analysis of the "war system" it debunks any thought that war can be ended by war, as the past has imagined; it can only be ended by unraveling the system itself. Pacifism's contribution to this is practical, by placing the politics of nonviolence at the center of this task.
This documentary focuses on Albie Sachs, a Jewish South African who was injured in the fight agai... more This documentary focuses on Albie Sachs, a Jewish South African who was injured in the fight against apartheid and lived to help create the post-apartheid government.
Critical Review of International Social and Political Philosophy, 2018
Emanuela Ceva's Interactive Justice addresses the crucial need for dialogue between political phi... more Emanuela Ceva's Interactive Justice addresses the crucial need for dialogue between political philosophy and the field of conflict management. I raise two concerns. I ask how her procedures of interactive justice would cope with the Teri Schiavo case that she presents. Do they possess the type of generality justice seems to require, or are they necessarily particularistic, contingent, and opportunistic? I also question, here and more generally, framing matters in terms of value conflicts. Ceva's aim is to supplement political liberalism. I suggest her project can be developed into a more critical perspective towards that view.
Defenders of private property have traditionally linked the rights of owner-ship with individual ... more Defenders of private property have traditionally linked the rights of owner-ship with individual liberty. Adam Smith considered private acquisition of goods, and the propensity to "truck and barter" them for others, to be part of the "range of natural liberty" which men occupied in ...
Rape in war and genocide always involves particularities of place, time, context, and experience.... more Rape in war and genocide always involves particularities of place, time, context, and experience. No one can teach or learn about them all. Which histories and experiences, what places and contexts are the most important to consider, and how does one best make such decisions? This chapter concentrates not only on these questions but also on what motivates people—primarily but not exclusively men—to resort to such violence and on what the consequences turn out to be. The contributors concentrate on helping teachers and students to identify the most important causes of rape in war and genocide and what it takes to intervene effectively against them.
JSTOR is a not-for-profit service that helps scholars, researchers, and students discover, use, a... more JSTOR is a not-for-profit service that helps scholars, researchers, and students discover, use, and build upon a wide range of content in a trusted digital archive. We use information technology and tools to increase productivity and facilitate new forms of scholarship. For more information about JSTOR, please contact
The inquiry into Marx’s critique of justice touches on fundamental issues in Marxist theory, amon... more The inquiry into Marx’s critique of justice touches on fundamental issues in Marxist theory, among them the status of Marxist philosophy itself. The perils of reconstructing that critique are familiar enough: Marx’s comments on justice are few and scattered, they hardly constitute a “theory,” and filling them out invariably involves appealing to other, perhaps equally controversial, Marxist positions. But the risks promise reward, for such an account may demonstrate, or at least afford insight into, the uniqueness of the Marxian perspective and do so not merely by situating Marx in the terrain of previous philosophy and socialist theory. If the importance-or even existence-of a specifically Marxian philosophical viewpoint has yet to be demonstrated, it is logical to look for its expressions in the posture Marx takes towards traditional problems to see how far he stands from traditional solutions. Moreover, the critique of justice cannot make good the philosophic claims of Marxism without establishing its relevance to current political practice and the conceptions that inform that practice. It is.one thing to define the distinctive lines of a philosophical position, quite another to show why the position should be taken seriously. A successful rendering of the Marxian outlook must, I think, do both.
The most famous essays by American writers on heroism, especially in military matters, inordinate... more The most famous essays by American writers on heroism, especially in military matters, inordinately deal with the demise of heroism — the threats to it, and to the attendant ‘martial virtues’, from the dominant social forces and ideals.1 Heroism, it seems, is something we are always in danger of losing, because we are always inclined to underestimate its importance. Hence the task of the philosopher is to remind us of that importance, to explain to us why the spectre of an un-heroic world should strike us as so impoverished, ethically, aesthetically and politically.
Defenders of private property have traditionally linked the rights of owner-ship with individual ... more Defenders of private property have traditionally linked the rights of owner-ship with individual liberty. Adam Smith considered private acquisition of goods, and the propensity to "truck and barter" them for others, to be part of the "range of natural liberty" which men occupied in ...
Pacifism has always been a marginal position, but only in the 20th century did it become stigmati... more Pacifism has always been a marginal position, but only in the 20th century did it become stigmatized -i.e. dismissed and ridiculed as outside the boundaries of serious discussion. This reflected the rise of "total war", as exemplified by the century's two world wars, where the war making claims of the state on the individual became absolute, hence any questioning of war itself became heretical. After this century of war, our greatest challenge is not to repeat the endless aimless conflicts of the past. Pacifism's contribution to this is partly theoretical. Through its analysis of the "war system" it debunks any thought that war can be ended by war, as the past has imagined; it can only be ended by unraveling the system itself. Pacifism's contribution to this is practical, by placing the politics of nonviolence at the center of this task.
This documentary focuses on Albie Sachs, a Jewish South African who was injured in the fight agai... more This documentary focuses on Albie Sachs, a Jewish South African who was injured in the fight against apartheid and lived to help create the post-apartheid government.
Critical Review of International Social and Political Philosophy, 2018
Emanuela Ceva's Interactive Justice addresses the crucial need for dialogue between political phi... more Emanuela Ceva's Interactive Justice addresses the crucial need for dialogue between political philosophy and the field of conflict management. I raise two concerns. I ask how her procedures of interactive justice would cope with the Teri Schiavo case that she presents. Do they possess the type of generality justice seems to require, or are they necessarily particularistic, contingent, and opportunistic? I also question, here and more generally, framing matters in terms of value conflicts. Ceva's aim is to supplement political liberalism. I suggest her project can be developed into a more critical perspective towards that view.
Defenders of private property have traditionally linked the rights of owner-ship with individual ... more Defenders of private property have traditionally linked the rights of owner-ship with individual liberty. Adam Smith considered private acquisition of goods, and the propensity to "truck and barter" them for others, to be part of the "range of natural liberty" which men occupied in ...
Rape in war and genocide always involves particularities of place, time, context, and experience.... more Rape in war and genocide always involves particularities of place, time, context, and experience. No one can teach or learn about them all. Which histories and experiences, what places and contexts are the most important to consider, and how does one best make such decisions? This chapter concentrates not only on these questions but also on what motivates people—primarily but not exclusively men—to resort to such violence and on what the consequences turn out to be. The contributors concentrate on helping teachers and students to identify the most important causes of rape in war and genocide and what it takes to intervene effectively against them.
JSTOR is a not-for-profit service that helps scholars, researchers, and students discover, use, a... more JSTOR is a not-for-profit service that helps scholars, researchers, and students discover, use, and build upon a wide range of content in a trusted digital archive. We use information technology and tools to increase productivity and facilitate new forms of scholarship. For more information about JSTOR, please contact
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