Abstract

Paul Weiss claims to offer an adequate and comprehensive account of individuals and social groups. Weiss's claim to provide a satisfactory account of the human individual as private and together rests on strategic elements of his metaphysics. This dissertation looks at Weiss's account of individuals and social groups to see if he is able to adequately ground the claims that he makes about them. ;The method adopted to determine this involves retracing his own philosophical path by beginning with common sense, appraising that starting point via "sophisticated reasonableness," following the lead of evidences to their sources, discovering the ontological ground of those evidences, clarifying the grounding of the human individual in that ontology, clarifying the grounding of social groups in that ontology, and assessing that grounding. ;Chapter one discusses Weiss's understanding of common sense and sophisticated reasonableness, because these are, according to him, where all inquiry must begin and the attitude with which philosophical inquiry is to be pursued. ;Chapter two continues the presentation of Weiss's philosophical method by clarifying his understanding of the epistemological warrants for his ontological claims. ;Chapter three centers on the ontological foundations that underlie the world of common sense, i.e., the ultimate realities that Weiss identifies as manifesting themselves in the daily world, and that are strategic elements in his understanding and account of individuals, social groups, their relation, and their rights. ;Chapter four considers the specific implications of that ontology for an understanding of the human individual as such and with respect to its rights. ;Chapter five examines the relation between Weiss's ontology and social groups, and those groups and individuals, specifically with respect to their respective rights. ;Chapter six relates the Weissian account to current discussions regarding the relation between individuals and society and considers critical difficulties that Weiss's account faces regarding each of the issues addressed in the preceding chapters, especially the ability of his ontology to sustain the assertions he makes regarding individuals, social groups, their relations, and rights. This chapter makes some suggestions regarding the ways the inadequacies of his account might be addressed and his position strengthened