Schefczyk
Fakultäten » Philosophische Fakultät » Philosophisches Seminar » Allgemein » Prof. Dr. Georg Kohler (emeritiert) » Schefczyk
Completed research project
| Title / Titel | Collective Responsibility for Historical Injustices | ||
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| Abstract (PDF, 14 KB) | |||
| Summary / Zusammenfassung | History is a slaughterhouse, said Hegel. In recent years, however, the public has witnessed numerous efforts of governments and corporations all over the world not to leave it at that and to assume responsibility for past injustices. In some cases prime ministers, queens and CEOs have apologised earnestly; in others they have accorded material compensation to rectify historical wrongs on behalf of a nation or a company. Nevertheless, some proponents of normative individualism have reservations about the idea that those living today could possibly have claims or obligations regarding historical injustices, in particular when those injustices occurred in the distant past. Seen from an individualistic viewpoint, the idea of collective responsibility for historical injustices seems to presume either an indefensibly strong conception of property rights or an indefensibly strong conception of cultural communities. I subscribe to most of this criticism; however, I shall argue that there is room for obligations arising from historical injustices within an individualist framework. The upshot of my study is that there is no incompatibility between reparation claims for past injustices and an individualist theory of political community. |
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| Keywords / Suchbegriffe | historical injustice, collective responsibility, normative individualism, political community | ||
| Project leadership and contacts / Projektleitung und Kontakte |
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| Funding source(s) / Unterstützt durch |
Others no funds, habilitation |
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| Duration of Project / Projektdauer | Sep 2002 to Sep 2006 |