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Full-Text Articles in Law
Respecting Freedom And Cultivating Virtues In Justifying Constitutional Rights, Linda C. Mcclain, James E. Fleming
Respecting Freedom And Cultivating Virtues In Justifying Constitutional Rights, Linda C. Mcclain, James E. Fleming
Faculty Scholarship
What’s new in the long-standing debate between civic republicans and liberals about how best to understand and justify rights? This article picks up the thread with political philosopher Michael Sandel’s recent, internationally-renowned book, Justice: What’s the Right Thing To Do? The article evaluates the sharp contrasts his book draws between justice as cultivating virtues and justice as respecting freedom, using his example of contemporary arguments for and against opening up civil marriage to same-sex couples. Sandel contends that “liberal neutrality” and a public square denuded of religious arguments and convictions are impossible on this issue. Drawing on Aristotle, he contends …
On Equality: The Anti-Interference Principle, Donald J. Kochan
On Equality: The Anti-Interference Principle, Donald J. Kochan
University of Richmond Law Review
This essay seeks to summarize the general equality concept and proposes that equality requires that the government engage in anti-interference with individual choices and activities, so long as these things create no negative externalities for others. If we are serious about respecting equality, such interference actions should be avoided. Adopting an "anti-interference principle" is a necessary foundation for achieving the goal of true equality. The primary point is that equality matters. The purpose of this essay is not to survey the vast political, jurisprudential, and academic debate on equality, but instead, to take a broad look at the philosophical concept …