Single Idea 15671

[catalogued under 23. Ethics / B. Contract Ethics / 9. Contractualism]

Full Idea

The emphasis shifts from what each can will without contradiction to be a general law, to what all can will in agreement to be a universal norm.

Gist of Idea

Move from individual willing of a general law, to willing norms agreed with other people

Source

Jürgen Habermas (Moral Consciousness and Communicative Action [1990], p.67), quoted by James Gordon Finlayson - Habermas Ch.5:69

Book Reference

Finlayson,James G.: 'Habermas' [OUP 2005], p.69


A Reaction

This strikes me as being very close to Scanlon's contractualism. As expressed here, it sounds more vulnerable than Kant's full universality to the problem of Nazis agreeing odious universal norms. Habermas calls it 'discourse ethics'.

Related Idea

Idea 15667 To understand a statement is to know what would make it acceptable [Habermas]