Equality Based On Morality And Value Thomas Nagel Political Philosophy Research

Thomas Nagel, an American philosopher, established an ethical theory about moral rationalism and double value from both personal and non-personal standpoints, and thus accomplished the transition from ethics to political philosophy by integrating moral philosophy and political philosophy. As a basic concept in political philosophy, equality is a critical moral ideal and social practice; as a consequence, the equality theory is not only an important part of Nagel’s political philosophy, but also a significant practice in the integration of moral philosophy and political philosophy. Generally, Nagel established the equality theory by abiding by the following ideas: the existence of individuality and non-individuality results in conflicts between a moral life and a good life. To resolve the conflicts, Nagel attempted to study political philosophy from the perspective of moral philosophy. He believes that ethics does not exist without political science. Therefore, by constructing political legitimacy of ideals, he assured himself that equality is essential in political life. He also discussed pessimists’ concept of equality. This article aims to present the logical thoughts and the concept of equality in the political philosophy with Nagel’s own characteristics, and to make some necessary assessments on them.