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Public reason and perfectionism: Comments on Quong’s liberalism without perfection

Lister Andrew (Queens University, Department of Political Studies, Belfast, UK)

Liberalism Without Perfection elaborates a generally Rawlsian conception of public justification in order to defend antiperfectionist liberalism. This critical response raises questions about the link between the two parts of the project. On the hand, it is possible to reject that demand that reasons for political decisions pass a qualified acceptability requirement even if one is strictly opposed to paternalism. On the other hand, the commitment to public justifiability does not rule out all perfectionism, if there are some claims about the good that are not reasonably rejectable.

Keywords: liberalism, political liberalism, public reason, public justification, neutrality, perfectionism