I agree strongly with the proposition that we need to abandon ideology. For that, we need an advance in our understanding of justice. I am convinced that we must recognize that the ethic of justice has to be mutual respect (of a basic kind: taking one another into account as we live our separate lives together in this world).

There are many paths to mutual respect: it follows from a belief in equality (in the sense that every human being has a basic moral worth). That belief can be sacral or secular in origin.

I have made a case that mutual respect also follows from the observation that human beings have no choice but to effect choices (i.e., choose among perceived alternatives and take action to bring that choice to fruition). That leaves beliefs out of it.

A society governed by that ethic would have the maximum liberty that co-existing human beings can share simultaneously and a democratic political process. Unlike equality per se, mutual respect can be applied efficaciously to the economy, with astonishing results for society. (All links are to articles in Medium.)