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Are Reasons Enough? Sen and Ricoeur on the Idea of Impartiality

Mei, Todd (2014) Are Reasons Enough? Sen and Ricoeur on the Idea of Impartiality. Dialogue, 53 (02). pp. 243-270. ISSN 0012-2173. E-ISSN 1759-0949. (doi:10.1017/S0012217314000018) (KAR id:51185)

Abstract

Amartya Sen argues that a conception of impartiality built upon “trans-positional objectivity” provides a potential remedy to conflicts of distributive justice by securing the most “reasonable reasons” in a debate. This article undertakes a critical analysis of Sen’s theory by contrasting it with Paul Ricoeur’s claim that impartiality is a normative concept and therefore that the demand faced within the arena of competing distributive claims is not one of providing the most reasonable reasons but of exposing and understanding the role of convictions that underwrite normative frameworks, or ethical orders.

Item Type: Article
DOI/Identification number: 10.1017/S0012217314000018
Subjects: B Philosophy. Psychology. Religion
Divisions: Divisions > Division of Arts and Humanities > School of Culture and Languages
Depositing User: Todd Mei
Date Deposited: 22 Oct 2015 09:40 UTC
Last Modified: 08 Dec 2022 21:02 UTC
Resource URI: https://kar.kent.ac.uk/id/eprint/51185 (The current URI for this page, for reference purposes)

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