Metaethical analysis and human ontological foundation of a richer concept of justice and an effective concept of care

Professor Tetsuhiko Shinagawa, Kansai University, Japan, is elucidating a metaethical analysis and human ontological foundation of a richer concept of justice and an effective concept of care. This work is divided into two considerations: analysis of the concepts of these two ethical norms and insight about how two models intersect for making a more decent society than the contemporary one. Key to his work is metaethical analysis, with the need to clarify early on in the study the meaning of the concepts and the scope of ethical theories based on the concepts. He divided the key moral and ethical norms into three groups based on justice and right, benevolence and beneficence and care and responsibility. The division is based on the difference between perfect duties and imperfect ones. When it comes to perfect duties, their fulfilment is not considered praiseworthy, while failure to complete them is considered blameworthy. On the other hand, looking at imperfect duties, they are praiseworthy when fulfilled but not blameworthy if ignored. ‘justice’ and ‘right’ belong to the former, while ‘benevolence’ and ‘beneficence’ belong to the latter. Shinagawa believes that categorising care as a choice or selfless act can lead to the exploitation of caregivers and society needs a better way to recognise and more fairly distribute the responsibility of caring. He therefore sees the need for a third group of ethical norms in which an inequality of power is considered and neglect of care tasks is considered blameworthy. This ethical foundation will give us the suggestions for transforming our individualistic and competitive society into a more decent and humane one.