Douglas Rasmussen – författare

This text provides an analysis of modern libertarian thought. Divided into three parts, the text: introduces libertarianism and outlines approaches by which it may be justified; examines how a libertarian society might deal with various social problems; and responds to criticisms of libertarianism.

This text provides an analysis of modern libertarian thought. Divided into three parts, the text: introduces libertarianism and outlines approaches by which it may be justified; examines how a libertarian society might deal with various social problems; and responds to criticisms of libertarianism.

Contemporary political philosophy - especially in the works of Martha Nussbaum, John Rawls and Amartya Sen - has assumed that it can separate itself off from other philosophical positions and frameworks. In this book, Den Uyl and Rasmussen challenge this trend by moving from the liberalism they advocate in their earlier work to what they call ‘individualistic perfectionism’ in ethics. They continue to challenge the assumption that a neo-Aristotelian ethical framework cannot support a liberal, non-perfectionist political theory by filling in the nature of the perfectionist ethical approach utilised in their previous political theorising. By developing the central features and principles of individualistic perfectionism they show that it is a major and powerful alternative to much contemporary ethical thinking - particularly to constructivism - and that it is capable of overcoming standard objections to perfectionism.