Minimal Morality: A Multilevel Social Contract Theory

Michael Moehler develops a novel multilevel social contract theory. It draws on the history of the social contract tradition, especially the work of Hobbes, Hume, Kant, Rawls, and Gauthier, but develops this tradition further for the conditions of deeply morally pluralistic societies. Such a theory is significant for modern societies which must cope not only with other values and traditions outside of their geographic areas, but with a plethora of values and value-neglecting tendencies within their own territories. The two-level contractarian theory defines the minimal behavioral restrictions that, under the assumption of deep moral pluralism, are necessary to ensure, compared to violent conflict resolution, mutually beneficial peaceful long-term cooperation.