從多元主義的觀點看應得的意義 : 對沃爾澤(Michael Walzer)正義理論的闡釋

Social and political philosophers have always been interested in and confused by the definition of "Justice". They try to explain the meaning of "justice" in terms either of the notion of entitlement or of that of utilitarianism. The objective of this thesis is to refute any attempts to define "justice" solely by any absolute, universal or single idea. With the theory of pluralistic justice advocated by Michael Walzer, it demonstrates that justice is pluralistic and complex in its form. "Justice" has different meanings under different circumstances in which different goods are to be distributed according to such principles of justice, as right, utility, or desert. Aided by a pluralistic idea of justice, the concept of desert can justifiably be enlisted into the discussion of distributive justice. Confucianism, viewed as an advocate of idea of desert, can also take on a role in distributive justice. In the course of our discussion, we will discover that the concept of justice is truly complex, and therefore have to acknowledge that it is pluralistic. But this is by no means a frustrating conclusion. On the contrary, once the meanings of goods are defined, understood and discussed rationally, then the specific and corresponding principle of justice to the goods will be illuminated