Synopses & Reviews
Addressing the proper relation of moral and religious belief to politics and law, especially constitutional law, Perry here discusses whether a common moral foundation exists that is capable of providing, in a diverse social system like ours, consistent guidelines for handling divisive political, policy, religious and constitutional disputes. His study represents a distinctive position in the vast and growing literature on the moral foundations of liberal political and legal life.
Review
"An invigorating book that lucidly frames many of the most important questions at the intersection of constitutional law and moral and political philosophy."--University of Chicago Law Review
"Consistently interesting and searching. Perry's book is bound to provoke critical reaction from reviewers."--G. Edward White, University of Virginia
"Perry has mastered an extensive and extremely difficult philosophical literature and has managed to work through a series of troubling problems intelligently and critically."--Kent Greenawalt, Columbia University
"The scope of this new work places Michael Perry in the ranks of Constitutional theorists like Ronald Dworkin and Roberto Unger who have innovative, comprehensive visions of the role of law in contemporary American society. Perry develops a theory of how a transformative politics is possible given the failure of moral and political philosophers to find common principles among the many different values and ideals of these pluralistic times."--David C. Hoy, University of California, Santa Cruz
"Perry has written a book that is to be read by anyone concerned with our society having a moral future. Drawing on the best philosophical, legal, and theological discussions, he has brought those disciplines into conversation in an extraordinary way to illumine our current crisis. Moreover, he begins to develop a constructive alternative that few have even begun to envision. I hope this book is read and read widely."--Stanley Hauerwas, Duke University
Description
Includes bibliographical references (p. 209-311) and index.