Overview
The American justice system was founded on the idea of “majority-rule,” but in a democracy this is achievable only if the majority has the interests of the whole at heart. Since the days of America’s founding, white, Christian males created laws from their standpoint as the majority, leading them to exercise power in a largely “majoritarian” way rather than upholding the interests of all citizens. The nation has not realized its stated ideals of equality of liberty, opportunity and justice for all. As a solution, W. Royce Clark formulates a non-majoritarian ethic based not on any majority but on a universal instinct, the combination of Albert Schweitzer’s “will-to-live” and Friedrich Nietzsche’s “will-to-power,” along with democratic principles articulated by John Rawls and James Madison, which would represent all citizens.
Full Product Details
Author: W. Royce Clark
Publisher: Rowman & Littlefield
Imprint: Lexington Books/Fortress Academic
Dimensions:
Width: 16.10cm
, Height: 4.80cm
, Length: 22.70cm
Weight: 1.039kg
ISBN: 9781978708679
ISBN 10: 197870867
Pages: 582
Publication Date: 15 December 2021
Audience:
Professional and scholarly
,
Professional & Vocational
Format: Hardback
Publisher's Status: Active
Availability: Manufactured on demand
We will order this item for you from a manufactured on demand supplier.
Reviews
In a diverse and religiously pluralistic society, where do people find the ethical principles that provide the foundation for a truly democratic republic? Theologian, ethicist, and legal scholar W. Royce Clark contends that the Framers of America's founding documents and recent decisions of the Supreme Court reveal the need for a more inclusive ethic based upon secular principles that elicit broad and voluntary support. This thought-provoking volume also raises important philosophical and theological questions for those seeking to gain political power and privilege in order to legislate morality based upon a religious ethic. This important volume disentangles humanity's longstanding problem, which is to understand better the interrelatedness and disengagement between religion and social structures. Professor Clark challenges one to ponder: Does religion produce social beings; or, do social beings erect frameworks of human interaction and engagement undergirded by biased ethical principles? This book helps one flesh out such concerns.
This important volume disentangles humanity's longstanding problem, which is to understand better the interrelatedness and disengagement between religion and social structures. Professor Clark challenges one to ponder: Does religion produce social beings; or, do social beings erect frameworks of human interaction and engagement undergirded by biased ethical principles? This book helps one flesh out such concerns.--DeWayne R. Stallworth, American Baptist College
In a diverse and religiously pluralistic society, where do people find the ethical principles that provide the foundation for a truly democratic republic? Theologian, ethicist, and legal scholar W. Royce Clark contends that the Framers of America's founding documents and recent decisions of the Supreme Court reveal the need for a more inclusive ethic based upon secular principles that elicit broad and voluntary support. This thought-provoking volume also raises important philosophical and theological questions for those seeking to gain political power and privilege in order to legislate morality based upon a religious ethic.--Daniel A. Rodriguez, Pepperdine University This important volume disentangles humanity's longstanding problem, which is to understand better the interrelatedness and disengagement between religion and social structures. Professor Clark challenges one to ponder: Does religion produce social beings; or, do social beings erect frameworks of human interaction and engagement undergirded by biased ethical principles? This book helps one flesh out such concerns.--DeWayne R. Stallworth, American Baptist College
Author Information
W. Royce Clark is professor emeritus of Pepperdine University.
