The Sense of Appropriateness: Application Discourses in Morality and Law (Social Polit Thought (Dis)) - Hardcover

Günther, Klaus

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0791415511 ISBN 13: 9780791415511

Publisher: State University of New York Press, 1993

Synopsis

Günther's book demonstrates that most objections to moral and legal principles are directed not against the validity of principles but against the manner of their application. If one distinguishes between the justification of a principle and its appropriate application, then the claim that the application of the principle in each individual case follows automatically from its universal justification proves to be a misunderstanding. Günther develops this distinction with the help of Habermas's discourse theory of morality. He then employs it to extend Kohlberg's theory of moral development and to defend this against Gilligan's critique. In the third and fourth parts of the book, Günther shows—in debate with Hare, Dworkin, and others—how argumentation on the appropriate application of norms and principles in morality and law is possible.

About this title

About the Author

Klaus Günther is Professor of Law at the University of Frankfurt.

Edition details

• Publisher: State University of New York Press
• Publication date: 1993
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0791415511
• ISBN 13: 9780791415511
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 353