A. John Simmons is widely regarded as one of the most innovative and creative of today's political philosophers. His work on political obligation is regarded as definitive and he is also internationally respected as an interpreter of John Locke. The characteristic features of clear argumentation and careful scholarship that have been hallmarks of his philosophy are everywhere evident in this collection. The essays focus on the problems of political obligation and state legitimacy as well as on historical theories of property and justice. Cumulatively the collection presents a distinctive social and political philosophy, exploring the nature of our most fundamental rights and obligations, and displaying the power and plausibility of Lockean ideal theory.
Author(s): A. John Simmons
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Year: 2001
Language: English
Pages: xiv, 276 p.
City: Cambridge; New York
Copyright Page
CONTENTS
Introduction
Acknowledgments
1 The Principle of Fair Play
I
II
III
IV
V
2 Fair Play and Political Obligation: Twenty Years Later
I
II
III
3 The Obligations of Citizens and the Justification of Conscription
The Obligation to Serve
Obligations and Nonvoluntary Relationships
Enforcing Obligations and Infringing Rights
4 Associative Political Obligations
I
II
III
IV
V
5 External Justifications and Institutional Roles
6 Philosophical Anarchism
The Illegitimacy of States
Defining Philosophical Anarchism
Three Objections to Philosophical Anarchism
Objection 1: The Hypocrisy of Philosophical Anarchism
Objection 2: The Radicalism of Philosophical Anarchism
Objection 3: Denying Political Obligation
7 Justification and Legitimacy
I
II
III
IV
V
8 "Denisons" and "Aliens": Locke's Problem of Political Consent
1
2
3
4
5
9 Human Rights and World Citizenship: The Universality of Human Rights in Kant and Locke
I
II
III
IV
V
10 Original-Acquisition Justifications of Private Property
I Original Acquisition
II Justification
III Original-Acquisition Justifications
IV Remoteness Objections
V Partial Justification, Question-Begging, and Unfamiliar Obligations
11 Historical Rights and Fair Shares
I
II
III
IV
V
12 Makers' Rights
I
II
III
IV
Index
