In world of continuous disagreement, professor envisions new social contract
Michael Moehler, a professor and director of the Kellogg Center for Philosophy, Politics, and Economics, received the prestigious Friedrich Wilhelm Bessel Research Award for his social contract theory research.
The social contract defines the central relationships among members of society. As society continues to change, the social contract needs to evolve along with it, said Michael Moehler, professor and founding director of the Kellogg Center for Philosophy, Politics, and Economics at Virginia Tech.
Moehler, an internationally recognized moral philosopher and political theorist, recently received a Friedrich Wilhelm Bessel Research Award from the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation, an organization that promotes international academic collaboration. The award recognizes academics for research achievements likely to leave lasting impacts beyond their fields. In Moehler’s case, this is more than 15 years of groundbreaking social contract theory research.
The award
In addition to with attending a ceremony and reception hosted by the president of Germany, Frank-Walter Steinmeier, Moehler will spend about six months at Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf in Germany, where he will work with other researchers. While at the university, he will focus on a project that builds on his latest co-edited book, “New Approaches to Social Contract Theory: Liberty, Equality, Diversity, and the Open Society.”
Moehler said he is excited to discuss his work with colleagues in Europe and to draw attention to Virginia Tech’s research excellence in the humanities and social sciences. This aligns with the goals of Virginia Tech Global Distinction and its mission to elevate Virginia Tech's role as a leading public research institution seeking solutions to the world’s most important challenges.
About social contract theory
Moehler’s recent book, set to publish this year, considers new approaches to social contract theory that aim to capture the diversity and complexity of contemporary societies. They are often fragmented and characterized by conflicting first-order directives, he said. In such societies, people often no longer identify with grand-scale group ideas but with conflicting perspectives.
New social contract theory envisions a social contract for the 21st century. It explores how, in a world of continuous disagreement, people can not only progress, but flourish and become more open in how they communicate with one another. Against the current trend, Moehler’s work stresses the importance of concentrating on what unites people with a focus on reconciliation over conflict. His new book addresses new approaches to social contract theory that capture the diversity and complexity of contemporary societies.
Virginia Tech’s research landscape
Moehler said Virginia Tech's research enviroment been key to his success, beginning with building the philosophy, politics, and economics (PPE) program and culminating in the establishment of the Kellogg Center – one of the world’s first centers dedicated to philosophy, politics, and economics research.
Moehler also has published two other books since he came to Virginia Tech in 2010, including “Minimal Morality: A Multilevel Social Contract Theory,” “Contractarianism,” along with numerous journal articles.
“The foresight of the College of Liberal Arts and Human Sciences and the College of Science in recognizing the value of this rapidly growing interdisciplinary research field with high social relevance has allowed me to conduct my research at the forefront of this field at Virginia Tech,” he said. “I am grateful for the visionary leadership of the college, as well as for my excellent colleagues and staff at the Kellogg Center and affiliated departments, and the vibrant PPE community at Virginia Tech.”
