Justice

Sandel emphasizes, throughout the book, that we face moral dilemmas constantly and apply our views of morality to these dilemmas even if we are not explicit about doing so. He also emphasizes that there are high stakes involved in participating in this process of deliberation. Questions are not “merely philosophical” but rather “lie at the heart of any attempt to reinvigorate political discourse and renew our civic life” (243). Many people may believe that there is little value in studying philosophy because it is theoretical, but throughout the book, Sandel applies the philosophies of ancient and modern philosophers to current issues, such as affirmative action and surrogacy, demonstrating that these beliefs are relevant today and that knowing where particular ideas come from can help us parse through our views on controversial issues, individually and as a society.

Sandel repeatedly emphasizes that particular theories of justice do not fall neatly along political lines. Even in discussing the first example in the book–the price-gouging debate–Sandel notes that both major political parties rely on theories based on welfare and freedom. Later in the book, he notes that political liberals often take a view consistent with libertarianism on social issues, whereas political conservatives often adopt a laissez-faire stance on economic issues.