The New Social Contract

The "social contract" is a fundamental concept of Western social theory which can be traced as far back as the writings of Plato. One of the most influential contemporary versions of social contract theory has been that of John Rawls' "A Theory of Justice". However, in "Morals by Agreement", David Gauthier, Distinguished Service Professor of Philosophy at Pittsburgh, presents a view of the social contract which represents a significant departure from Rawls' theory and other recent versions of social contract theory, and Gauthier claims, a significant advance. The contributors to this volume present a critical assessment, from a variety of perspectives, of Gauthier's methodology and a number of his arguments presented in "Morals by Agreement". The final essay in the volume is an extended reply by Gauthier to his critics.