Derek Phillips presents a strong case for the importance of normative theories about the just social organization of society. Most sociologists urge the avoidance of value judgments, but Professor Phillips argues for a notion of a just social order that reflects a twin concern with explanatory and normative thinking. Originally published in 1986. The Princeton Legacy Library uses the latest print-on-demand technology to again make available previously out-of-print books from the distinguished backlist of Princeton University Press. These editions preserve the original texts of these important books while presenting them in durable paperback and hardcover editions. The goal of the Princeton Legacy Library is to vastly increase access to the rich scholarly heritage found in the thousands of books published by Princeton University Press since its founding in 1905.