What’s the point of ideal theory?

Critics of ideal theory contend that ideal theory cannot guide present political action: from a practical point of view, they claim, social ideals are redundant at best and a positive hindrance at worst. Often the defenders of ideal theory concede these points but go on to respond that ideal theory need not be practical to have value. Both sides, however, assume that to have practical value, social ideals must be able to guide political action by serving as long-range goals or targets. I argue that this assumption is false. The point of ideal theory is not to provide guidance but rather to overcome in an ethically responsible manner the practical doubt that arises in a context of reasonable pluralism.