
The Lockean Theory of Rights
A. John Simmons(Author)
Princeton University Press
Published on 2. August 1992
Book
Hardback
400 pages
978-0-691-08630-9 (ISBN)
Description
John Locke's political theory has been the subject of many detailed treatments by philosophers and political scientists. "The Lockean Theory of Rights" is a systematic, full-length study of Locke's theory of rights and of its potential for making genuine contributions to contemporary debates about rights and their place in political philosophy. The book refers extensively to Locke's published and unpublished works, arguing that they reveal a coherent and sophisticated theory of rights which relies far less directly on his theological foundations than is commonly supposed. In the process, the author reconstructs a Lockean theory of rights and shows how it illuminates many issues in contemporary moral and political philosophy, including the justification of punishment, problems concerning ethical impartialism and familial morality, the basis and extent of property rights, and rights and duties of justice and charity.
Reviews / Votes
"A powerful analysis. . . . [It] succeeds in demonstrating the depth and cogency of much of Locke's moral and political thought and leaves us with a number of excellent reasons for believing that . . . talk of natural rights of a distinctly Lockean kind is indispensable for any satisfactory account of the just society."---G. A. J. Rogers, The Times Higher Education Supplement ". . . a remarkable volume--by far the best treatment of Locke's account of rights and one that is likely to remain so, because it treats the texts with intelligent scholarship and argues with a high degree of sophistication. . ."---Ian Harris, American Political Science Review "[Simmon's] densely argued and heavily referenced work--he reveals deep knowledge of both the primary and secondary literature and overturns many a famous name in a footnote--provides us with a powerful analysis of what is probably the central moral concept of Locke's political philosophy, namely his theory of rights."---G. A. J. Rogers, The Times Higher Education Supplement "[Simmons] succeeds triumphantly in showing that the issues are still alive, and that even if Locke cannot solve our problems, he has much to contribute to an understanding of them."---Susan L. Mendus, Ethics ". . . a comprehensive monograph that goes beyond a learned interpretation of Locke's texts to a reconstruction of a more plausible and contemporarily more acceptable, Lockean theory of rights . . . [T]his penetrating and sympathetic study is a welcome antidote to some tendentious recent monographs, of equal interest to the philosophically and historically inclined."---Ross Rudolph, Canadian Review of Political Science "The Lockean Theory of Rights is an exceptionally good book: Strong, clear, forceful, level-headed, and magnificently patient-an object lesson in educational maturity." * International Studies in Philosophy *More details
Series
Language
English
Place of publication
New Jersey
United States
Target group
College/higher education
Professional and scholarly
Product notice
Trade binding
Dimensions
Height: 254 mm
Width: 197 mm
ISBN-13
978-0-691-08630-9 (9780691086309)
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Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions

A. John Simmons
The Lockean Theory of Rights
E-Book
12/2020
1st Edition
Princeton University Press
€57.49
Available for download
Person
A. John Simmons is Professor of Philosophy at University of Virginia.