BHA: moral/political theory

[Ruth Groff <rgroff@xxxxxxxx>]

Hi James,

You wrote:
>My understanding is that the
>misguided modern division into teleology and deontology is based on the
>Cartesian matter/mind dichotomy, and makes ethics exclusively either
>utilitarian hedonism or Kantian legalism.

Hmm.  This is interesting.  As I've encountered it in political theory
literature, I haven't understood it in quite the way you set out.  It's
expressed there (I think) as a distinction between the "Right" and the
"Good," but the latter isn't exclusively identified with utilitarianism.  I
think of Plato's political theory as being ontological, for example.  The
deontologists in political theory argue that the basic question is "What
should the rules be, and why are we obliged to follow them?"  The other guys
argue that the basic question is more like "What constitutes a good life for
human beings, and what would tend to promote that?"

Does this make sense to you at all?  Does it change anything about where
you'd put Bhaskar?

>I agree -- I hope -- with Mervyn that an
>ontological lack is a key to an understanding of values as the fulfilment of
>essence.

Can you explain this more?

Thanks!
Ruth




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