Philosophy Ph.D. Dissertations
Issue Individuation in Public Reason Liberalism
Date of Award
2021
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)
Department
Philosophy, Applied
First Advisor
Kevin Vallier (Advisor)
Second Advisor
Gary Oates (Other)
Third Advisor
Brandon Warmke (Committee Member)
Fourth Advisor
Michael E. Weber (Committee Member)
Abstract
This dissertation addresses the problem of issue individuation in public reason liberalism. The problem of issue individuation involves how laws relate to one another for purposes of public justification. That is, how many laws may be justified at once? The dissertation first provides an overview of the literature on issue individuation, and articulates three conditions any principle of issue individuation must meet. Then it articulates a solution to the problem of issue individuation in the form of a functional independence principle, which individuates laws based on the goals of idealized members of the public. Finally, the dissertation explores the implications of the functional independence principle on arguments regarding property rights and egalitarian redistribution.
Recommended Citation
Manning, Colin, "Issue Individuation in Public Reason Liberalism" (2021). Philosophy Ph.D. Dissertations. 42.
https://scholarworks.bgsu.edu/philosophy_diss/42