Assessing the Cosmopolitan Ideal
Assessing the Cosmopolitan Ideal
This chapter explores the practical implications of the cosmopolitan ideal of a just world order, and discusses ‘the guidance critique’ of this ideal: the claim that cosmopolitan theories are too idealistic to guide action in real-world circumstances. It argues that proponents of this critique either misapply cosmopolitan principles, or have unreasonable expectations regarding the sort of guidance a theory of justice can plausibly deliver. Theories of justice do not answer questions such as: ‘What specific actions ought we to take, here and now?’ Instead, they offer normative frameworks for guiding our thinking with respect to such questions. Because cosmopolitanism does provide a distinctive normative framework – that is, it insists that our international distributive duties are grounded in justice, as opposed to humanitarian assistance – it fulfils the guidance requirements that can plausibly be placed on a theory of justice.
Keywords: cosmopolitanism, guidance, ideal theory, G.A. Cohen, John Rawls, realistic utopia, feasibility, global despotism, moral motivation, institutional design
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