The Dangers of Altruism: An Explanation and Analysis of the Principle of Maximization of the Good in Normative Ethics and John Rawls's Criticisms on It

This paper، in its first part، analyzes the status and history of the principle of “maximization of the good” and the different meanings of “maximization” and “good.” After explaining and analyzing this principle and its different interpretations، in the first part، this paper، in its second part، categorizes Rawls’s criticisms on it، step by step، by extracting and mentioning their premises. It should be noted that، prior to Rawls، similar objections to the principle of “maximization of the good” had already been raised by David Ross، Brian Barry and Nicholas Rescher. Rawls was the first person who provide a systematic and comprehensive alternative to this principle as well as coherent and systematic criticisms on it. However، most works on this topic – esp. Persian works – have a very important defect: They do not distinguish Rawls’s different (and sometimes parallel) criticisms. This paper، distinguishes Rawls’s criticism. Then، it shows that: 1. Rawls’s criticism on “total good/utility” is different from his criticism on “average good/utility،” and 2. Rawls uses two different strategies for criticizing the principle of “maximization of the good” which one of them is totally independent of his positive theory (justice as fairness) and the other one is dependent on it.