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Title: | Moral Purpose, Political Action, and Liberalism: An Attempt at a Philosophical and Political Inquiry |
Authors: | Biro, Peter L. |
Advisor: | Aster, H. |
Department: | Political Science |
Keywords: | Political Science;Political Science |
Publication Date: | Apr-1985 |
Abstract: | <p>This thesis represents an attempt at a philosophical inquiry into the nature of political action and its place in liberal theory.</p> <p>I begin by considering whether action must be explained teleologically and whether non-purposive accounts of behaviour can be generally adequate. In finding that purposive behaviour fundamentally characterizes action, I question the assumption in liberal political theory, beginning with Hobbes, that mechanistic laws of behaviour can provide man with a science of politics.</p> <p>Hobbes , represents for me, the first stage in the revolt against teleological politics. I consider the important contributions that Immanuel Kant and finally John Rawls make to the liberalism of anti-telelogical politics.</p> <p>I then consider the liberal critique of Hobbes' portrait of man. This is represented by Jean-Jacques Rousseau. Rousseau's critique is undermined by his failure to reject market politics.</p> <p>Finally, I consider the market-model of society, which is seen to be the ultimate embodiment of mechanistic, anti-teleological politics.</p> |
URI: | http://hdl.handle.net/11375/11010 |
Identifier: | opendissertations/6011 7038 2188762 |
Appears in Collections: | Open Access Dissertations and Theses |
Files in This Item:
File | Size | Format | |
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fulltext.pdf | 4.52 MB | Adobe PDF | View/Open |
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