The Person and the Common Good

The Person and the Common Good
Cover of the first edition
AuthorJacques Maritain
Original titleLa personne et le bien commun
TranslatorJohn J. Fitzgerald
LanguageFrench
SubjectSocial philosophy
Published1947
Publication placeFrance
Media typePrint
ISBN978-0268002046

The Person and the Common Good (French: La personne et le bien commun) is a 1947 book about social philosophy by the French philosopher and theologian Jacques Maritain.

Summary

In The Person and the Common Good, Maritain discusses "the distinction between individuality and personality." He explores the definition of a man as a physical, singular person, and, conversely, as a contributor to the common good within his society.[1] To aid his explanation, he follows and dissects the philosophies of St. Thomas (Thomism), who's theories on personalism highlight the metaphysical difference between individuality and personality.[2]

Reception

According to the philosopher John Haldane, The Person and the Common Good is Maritain's major contribution to social philosophy.[3]

References

Footnotes

  1. ^ "The Person and the Common Good". University of Notre Dame. Retrieved 2026-02-21.
  2. ^ "Wayback Machine" (PDF). maritain.nd.edu. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2024-12-14. Retrieved 2026-02-21. {{cite web}}: Cite uses generic title (help)
  3. ^ Haldane 2005, p. 555.

Bibliography

Books