Abstract

This dissertation focuses on the political theory of the Catholic philosopher Jacques Maritain in light of the so-called liberal-communitarian debate that has engaged contemporary Anglo-American philosophers such as Rawls, Sandel, Walzer, Rorty and others. Using the work of Maritain, I argue that the liberal commitment to neutrality vis-a-vis the good cannot be coherently defended and that liberalism so conceived cannot adequately promote human flourishing. At the same time, I suggest that the extreme historicist positions of some communitarian writers erode the foundational bases needed for the protection of human dignity and freedom. I trace the root of the problems of each camp to their philosophical anthropology and suggest that Maritain's is a superior alternative, correcting the excesses while deepening the fundamental insights of the apologists on both sides of the liberal-communitarian debate. Combining Maritain's insights with the work of Martha Nussbaum, I argue that a "thick but vague" view of the person can form the basis for social and political organization without threatening human freedom and dignity, as liberals fear. Indeed, I suggest that the failure of political society to recognize and respond to the essential nature of the human person constitutes an even greater threat to human freedom and dignity. At the same time, acknowledging the communitarians' contribution to this debate, I argue that the application of an essential, yet general, conception of the person to any particular society must be done with historical and cultural sensitivity. This means that the existential realization of those qualities that are characteristically human will take many different forms, as will the political organizations that support their fulfillment. I conclude by suggesting that Maritain's work is important for the post-modern age in that it points the way toward a contextually-sensitive political philosophy that is nevertheless committed to trans-cultural and trans-historical norms for human society