Termine

When philosophers talk about perfectionism, it is usually as a view of wellbeing, of developing characteristically human capacities. Yet perfectionism can also be a normative account of what we owe to each other. Perfectionists have reason to endorse a perfectionist basic structure such that enables persons to develop and exercise their human capacities in meaningful ways.

This basic structure has two complementary features: first, it enables a diversity of life experiences. Second, it provides a spatial-opportunity structure that creates open-minded environments. Absent these features, rich or lucky individuals gain an unfair advantage in the sphere of opportunities for developing their capacities in meaningful ways. Ultimately, even for nonperfectionists (e.g. liberals), this basic structure may be promising in terms of equality of opportunity.