Aristotle And Kant s Theory Of Justice - 1327 Words

To compare philosophers Aristotle and Immanuel Kant is essentially to compare modern philosophy to classic philosophy. Aristotle’s theory of justice links together ethics and politics; while Kant’s theory of justice is based on strictly defined principles of morality. Modern philosopher Michael J. Sandel provides a detailed analysis of each theory in his book Justice: What’s the Right Thing to do? Although the key features of Aristotle’s and Kant’s theories are mostly different in nature, there are also some key similarities between the two. The first key difference, and perhaps the most striking one, between these two philosophers’ theories is what each defines as the basis for the morality of an action. In Aristotle’s theory of justice, he mentions that â€Å"Justice is teleological† (186), meaning that defining the rightness of an action requires us to consider the purpose of the action. Aristotle also argues that ‘â₠¬ in order to determine the just distribution of a good, we have to inquire into the telos, or purpose, of the good being distributed† (188). Part of Aristotle’s theory argues that everything has a natural place and is goal-oriented. Furthermore, in determining how a good should be distributed, the goal of the good first must be questioned. Contrastingly, in Kant’s theory of justice, he finds that â€Å"the moral worth of an action consists not in the consequences that flow from it, but in the intention from which the act is done† (111). In simpler terms, Kant meansShow MoreRelatedPlato And Aristotle s Theories Of Utilitarianism And Kantian Ethics1408 Words   |  6 PagesThe ancient theories of Plato and Aristotle differ greatly from the contemporary theories of Utilitarianism and Kantian ethics. Plato and Aristotle focused on the importance of virtue in an individual’s life. 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