CEU Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2014
| Author | Sarajlic, Eldar |
|---|---|
| Title | Neutrality with Perfection: The Convergence Thesis |
| Summary | This dissertation defends the view that the ideal of liberal neutrality in political philosophy cannot be divorced from perfection. Arguing against claims that neutrality and perfectionism exclude each other, the dissertation posits that liberal neutrality and perfectionism are convergent, not divergent, philosophical ideals. The dissertation is divided into five distinct chapters. The introduction provides a general philosophical framework of the problem and contextualizes its significance against the extant literature. Chapter 1 argues that the ideal of liberal neutrality depends on the conception of the good defined by the value of autonomy. It surveys different philosophical arguments about neutrality, including theories of political liberalism based on epistemic, pluralist and reasonability reasons for neutrality and argues that none of these is sufficient to establish the principle of neutrality. Chapter 2 defends a particular understanding of autonomy. It argues that a horizontal, rather than hierarchical, theory better resolves some of the standard philosophical problems with autonomy. The chapter expands the theory by arguing that autonomy is best understood in terms of the open future principle that reconciles contingency and spontaneity with individual ability to act authentically. Chapter 3 builds on these claims to argue that the normative value of autonomy cannot be fully appraised within anti-perfectionist theories of liberalism because their basic assumptions do not correspond to the horizontal theory. This theory presumes the fundamentally relational nature of autonomy that depends on a range of first-order facts and structures that make individuals capable of autonomous behavior. Against this background, the chapter suggests that liberal perfectionism needs to recalibrate its concern and focus on developing autonomy-building interpersonal relations. Chapter 4 argues that ideals of neutrality and perfectionism in liberalism converge by way of conceptual and practical reasons. Conceptual reasons imply that institutional requirements of neutrality and perfection serve to provide supporting justifications to each other. Institutional neutrality is owed only toward individuals who have autonomously chosen and sustained their conceptions of the good. Institutional promotion of autonomy aims to ensure that neutrality requirements are satisfied. Practical reasons imply that normative requirements of open future demand convergence of neutralist and perfectionist claims. The chapter surveys different elements of social context that have normative significance for the convergence thesis. Chapter 5 demonstrates that the thesis of convergence between liberal neutrality and perfection can be applied to concrete cases of social policy that involve conflicting demands based on differing conceptions of the good. The thesis is contextualized by controversies about sugary drinks regulation in New York City and neonatal male circumcision in Germany. |
| Supervisor | Kis, Janos |
| Department | Political Science PhD |
| Full text | https://www.etd.ceu.edu/2014/sarajlic_eldar.pdf |
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