(Originally published 2009, Paperback edition 269 pages)
Mr. Sandel lays out his case on why dramatic inequality can be corrosive to
civic virtue. But before the reader can get to his conclusion the Harvard
professor effectively takes you through the three major approaches to moral
justice: Jeremy Bentham's (1748-1832) utilitarianism, Immanuel Kant's
(1724-1804) libertarianism and a theory developed by an American philosopher
named John Rawls (1921-2002). Along this academic journey, the author cites some
interesting conundrums that will make you question your beliefs. He addresses
such issues as cost-benefit analysis; a volunteer army vs conscription; how free
are the choices we make in a free market; the moral quandaries behind contracts;
affirmative action in college admissions; Aristotle's teleology; reparations;
abortion; stem-cell research; moral individualism vs collective responsibility;
and patriotism.
The book is written in laymen's terms and not like some dry, academic dissertation. Despite the work being almost bare of witty wordplay, it is highly entertaining because of the different scenarios he uses to challenge the three major theories. As Mr. Sandel so aptly puts it, "Life in democratic societies is rife with disagreement between right and wrong, justice and injustice." No kidding. All the pissin' and moanin' over what political direction we should go on a myriad of issues is extremely frustrating to either watch or participate in it. Most of the blathering is pundits, politicians or special interests shouting past each other. Mr. Sandel's book helps to put it in perspective but you will need to give it your undivided attention. The reader could easily get lost if your mind daydreams through a few paragraphs. This kind of work isn't everybody's cup of tea. Unsurprisingly, being a philosophical book, it doesn't give concrete solutions. If you like books that challenge your beliefs then you'll probably like it. A person who sees issues in rigid black-or-white scenarios will hate this baby. As for me, it was illuminating and well worth the effort.
The book is written in laymen's terms and not like some dry, academic dissertation. Despite the work being almost bare of witty wordplay, it is highly entertaining because of the different scenarios he uses to challenge the three major theories. As Mr. Sandel so aptly puts it, "Life in democratic societies is rife with disagreement between right and wrong, justice and injustice." No kidding. All the pissin' and moanin' over what political direction we should go on a myriad of issues is extremely frustrating to either watch or participate in it. Most of the blathering is pundits, politicians or special interests shouting past each other. Mr. Sandel's book helps to put it in perspective but you will need to give it your undivided attention. The reader could easily get lost if your mind daydreams through a few paragraphs. This kind of work isn't everybody's cup of tea. Unsurprisingly, being a philosophical book, it doesn't give concrete solutions. If you like books that challenge your beliefs then you'll probably like it. A person who sees issues in rigid black-or-white scenarios will hate this baby. As for me, it was illuminating and well worth the effort.
(Meyers - A few years ago, I
started writing, under the pseudonym Franklin the Mouse, short
reviews at Amazon's web site. This is my most recent review #328)
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