Synopses & Reviews
Moving beyond Rawls, this succinct anthology provides an effective survey of critical works in contemporary political philosophy. Many of the issues central to the history of political philosophy are still being debated. Steven M. Cahn and Robert B. Talisse have assembled this volume to enable professors to teach the contemporary debates along with their historical antecedents. The readings are specially selected by the editors for their accessibility and philosophical impact and are arranged according to five key topics of contemporary debate: equality, justice, liberty, democracy, and human rights. Each part includes three essays presenting unique and sometimes competing views. Thorough part introductions from the editors help orient students and frame the readings that follow, and discussion questions give students an opportunity to reflect on the topics and reach their own conclusions. Brief, engaging, and student-friendly, this important collection is the perfect addition to any political philosophy course.
Review
An excellent collection.”
Teaching PhilosophyAn outstanding collection of cutting-edge work in contemporary political philosophy, with a great introductory essay that gives students the background necessary to engage with the excellent essays in the book.”
Nicole Hassoun, Carnegie Mellon University
Cahn and Talisse have compiled some excellent essays from an impressive array of contemporary political theorists. This book would be a fine text for an upper-level undergraduate course in political philosophy.”
J. Caleb Clanton, Pepperdine University
This volume brings together fifteen essays at the leading edge of contemporary political philosophy. The thinkers represented here are first-rate; the articles Cahn and Talisse have included have not only contributed to five of the most vibrant areas in the discipline, but in many cases are responsible for their ferment. Scholars of the subject will be glad to have these pieces made so readily available. Teachers will find that they can easily structure a major- or graduate-level course around the contents of this exceptionally useful anthology.”
Paul Weithman, University of Notre Dame
Synopsis
Moving beyond the work of Rawls and his critics, this concise anthology contains critical essays in contemporary political philosophy
Synopsis
Moving beyond the work of Rawls and his critics, this concise collection contains critical essays in contemporary political philosophy. All have been chosen for their importance and accessibility, and some have been edited by their authors for inclusion in this work. Political Philosophy in the Twenty-First Century covers five main topics: equality, justice, liberty, democracy, and human rights. To assist readers, the editors have also provided section introduction and study questions as well as an overall introduction explaining the background to contemporary work in political philosophy. Beginning where most other anthologies in political philosophy conclude, this book can be used alone or in conjunction with any collection of historical sources.
About the Author
Steven M. Cahn is professor of philosophy at the City University of New York Graduate Center. He is the author of ten books, including
God, Reason, and Religion;
From Student to Scholar: A Candid Guide to Becoming a Professor; and
Saints and Scamps: Ethics in Academia (25th Anniversary Edition). He has edited or coedited some forty books, including
Thinking about Logic: Classic Essays (Westview Press);
Political Philosophy: The Essential Texts;
Classics of Political and Moral Philosophy;
The Affirmative Action Debate; and
Classic and Contemporary Readings in the Philosophy of Education.
Robert B. Talisse is professor of philosophy and chair of the philosophy department at Vanderbilt University. His books include Democracy and Moral Conflict; Pragmatism: A Guide for the Perplexed; A Pragmatist Philosophy of Democracy; and Democracy after Liberalism. He has also coedited numerous volumes, including Thinking about Logic: Classic Essays (Westview Press); The Pragmatism Reader; Political Problems; and A Teachers Life: Essays for Steven Cahn.
Table of Contents
Part I. Equality1. Ronald Dworkin, Equality”
2. Elizabeth Anderson, Democratic Equality”
3. Kok Chor Tan, A Defense of Luck Egalitarianism"
Part II. Justice
4. G. A. Cohen Rescuing Justice and Equality”
5. David Miller, Justice and Boundaries”
6. Amartya Sen, Capabilities and Resources”
Part III. Liberty
7. Philip Pettit, The Instability of Freedom as Non-Interference”
8. John Christman, Can Positive Freedom be Saved”
9. Ian Carter, The Myth of Merely Formal Freedom”
Part IV. Democracy
10. Richard Arneson, Democracy is not Intrinsically Just”
11. Thomas Christiano, The Authority of Democracy”
12. Joshua Cohen, Reflections on Deliberative Democracy”
Part V. Human Rights
13. Onora ONeill The Dark Side of Human Rights”
14. Thomas Pogge, World Poverty and Human Rights”
15. Martha Nussbaum, Capabilities and Social Justice”