Social and political philosophy Books

Book SynopsisBrunis historisch-methodologische Analyse von Reziprozität wendet sich gegen die herrschende Meinung in den Wirtschaftswissenschaften, die sich – dem Menschenbild des ‚homo oeconomicus‘ folgend – einzig mit den beiden einfachsten Formen von Reziprozität, nämlich vertraglicher Zusammenarbeit sowie eigennützigen Handlungen, befassen und alle anderen Formen ausblenden. Der Verfasser analysiert soziale Interaktionen in den drei unterschiedlichen Weisen von Reziprozität, die allesamt schließlich einer vierten Strategie gegenübergestellt werden: nämlich der grundsätzlichen Verweigerung von Reziprozität. Brunis Buch ist längst zu einem anerkannten Grundlagenwerk geworden und von Interesse für alle, die sich mit dem Zusammenspiel von Wirtschaft und Gesellschaft, dem Charakter von Reziprozität, der Struktur sozialer Interaktionen und der Methodologie evolutionärer Spieltheorie befassen. Es vermittelt grundlegende, weiterführende Einsichten über die Regeln, denen gesellschaftliches Zusammenleben folgt. Table of ContentsVorwort des Herausgebers.- Reziprozität: eine Hinführung zu den Gedanken Luigino Brunis über eine Grundform gesellschaftlichen Zusammenlebens (Christoph Böhr).- Reziprozität – über die Kraft der Zusammenarbeit in Wirtschaft und Gesellschaft: zu den Grundlagen der sozialen und ökonomischen Ordnung (Luigino Bruni).- Einleitung des Verfassers.- 1 Ökonomie und Reziprozität in der heutigen Debatte.- 2 Homo oeconomicus: Zweihundert Jahre Einsamkeit.- 3 Eine erste Stufe der Reziprozität: Kooperation ohne Wohlwollen.- 4 Reziprozität als Philia.- 5 Die bedingungslose Reziprozität.- 6 Die Dynamiken der Reziprozität in einer heterogenen Welt.- 7 Drei ist besser als zwei.- 8 Lob der Heterogenität.- 9 Reziprozität ist eine, aber es gibt viele Reziprozitäten.- Bibliographie.- Personenregister.- Sachverzeichnis.- Zum Verfasser.

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Book SynopsisIn welcher Gesellschaft leben wir, und vor allem: was ist überhaupt eine „Gesellschaft“? Das Lehrbuch führt in die zuletzt genannte Grundfrage der Soziologie ein – in die diversen Antworten und in den Streit um den Gesellschaftsbegriff. Es geht bei diesem Begriff um eine der konzeptionellen Grundlagen des Faches: Ob ein eher theoretischer oder empirischer Schwerpunkt soziologischer Forschung verfolgt wird, eine Antwort auf die Frage nach der Gesellschaft liegt implizit oder explizit vor. Oder präziser, sie muss permanent erarbeitet werden – und sei es im vehementen Versuch, sich des Gesellschaftsbegriffes zu entledigen und Akteure, Relationen oder Kollektive an dessen Stelle zu setzen. Trade Review“… Die Anlage des Buches und die Darstellung der Theorien überzeugen, das Aufzeigen der Denkwege in der Soziologie sowie der Familienähnlichkeiten der Soziologien stellen das stärkste Argument für die Lektüre dar. … Es handelt sich damit um eine umfassende, aber dennoch kompakte Darstellung des aktuellen Stands der soziologischen Theorie, die als Einführung unbedingt zu empfehlen ist.” (André Armbruster, in: Ethik und Gesellschaft, Heft 2, 2021) ​Table of ContentsWas ist und wozu dient ‚Gesellschaftstheorie‘?- Soziologien des konstituierten Subjekts.- Soziologien des konstituierenden Subjekts (Handlungstheorien).- Ansätze im ‚Dazwischen‘: Kollektive, Netzwerke, das Leben.

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Book SynopsisDie historisch-genetische Theorie verfolgt den Anspruch, die Genese der menschlichen kulturellen Lebensweise aus den naturgeschichtlichen Ausgangsbedingungen und die historisch differenten gesellschaftlichen Organisationsformen in ihrer Strukturfolge erklären zu können. Für die Theorie zentral ist das methodologische Primat ontogenetischer Entwicklungsprozesse. Die gesellschaftlichen Organisationsformen sind diesen konstruktiv verbunden, folgen in ihrer Entwicklung aber anderen Mechanismen. Es werden die Grundlagen der Theorie herausgearbeitet und auf deren zentrale Fragen und Themenbereiche eingegangen.Table of ContentsWarum “Historisch-genetische Theorie”?.- Grundgerüst der Theorie, zentrale Elemente und Theorieentwicklung.- Anwendungsbereiche der Historisch-genetischen Theorie.- Zum Schluss: ein paar systematische Bemerkungen

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Book SynopsisDas Buch befasst sich mit Kernbegriffen der Sozialwissenschaften: Macht und Herrschaft. Mit Beiträgen von Gerhard Wagner, Guy Oakes, Hubert Treiber, Peter Gostmann, Peter-Ulrich Merz-Benz, Dirk Tänzler und Stephen Turner.Table of ContentsZum Verhältnis von Herrschaft und Rationalität.- Ordnungen der Macht.-Charisma in der Massengesellschaft.- Regierungsweisen.- Die andere Seite der Biopolitik.

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Book SynopsisFeministische Bewegungen und ihre diversen widerständigen Praktiken haben in den vergangenen Jahren wieder an Sichtbarkeit gewonnen. Neben Protest- und Aktionsformen lassen sich auch zahlreiche Praktiken finden, die das Alltagsleben feministischer Akteur*innen prägen. Charakteristisch vereinen die heterogenen feministischen Widerstände Kritik-, Interventions- und Transformationspraktiken, die das hegemoniale Geschlechterdispositiv sowie realwirksame Hervorbringungen hinterfragen, angreifen und verändern. Die Autorin untersucht in ihrer explorativen Studie verschiedene Widerstandspraktiken und analysiert deren Bedeutung für gesellschaftliche Wandlungsprozesse. Bildet Geschlecht weiterhin die zentrale Bezugsdimension innerhalb feministischer Bewegungen? Wie definieren Feminist*innen die Kategorie Geschlecht und in welchem Verhältnis stehen ein theoretisches Geschlechterwissen, die feministische Praxis und das feministische Subjekt zueinander?Table of ContentsEinleitung.- Das (Geschlechter-)Dispositiv als theoretische Grundlage.- Feministische Widerständigkeit in der empirischen Betrachtung.- Geschlecht im Spezialdiskurs der Frauen- und Geschlechterforschung – Ergebnisse der Diskursanalyse.- Feministische Widerstandspraktiken – Ergebnisse der Interviewstudie.- Kritisches feministisches Geschlechterwissen.- Feministische Widerständigkeit: Kritik – Intervention – Transformation.- Ausblick – Von der feministischen Widerständigkeit zur sozialen Transformation?

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Book SynopsisNach der ersten grün-roten Landesregierung in einem deutschen Bundesland von 2011 bis 2016 in Baden-Württemberg führte Winfried Kretschmann von 2016 bis 2021 zum zweiten Mal eine grün-geführte Landesregierung an – eine lagerübergreifend grün-schwarze Kiwi-Koalition. Auch diese Regierungskonstellation ist bislang in der deutschen Geschichte einmalig. Der Sammelband analysiert, wie sich dieser Regierungswechsel von Grün-Rot zur selbst ernannten grün-schwarzen Komplementärkoalition in den verschiedenen Politikfeldern auf die durchgesetzten Policies ausgewirkt hat. Neben dem expliziten Vergleich der durchgeführten Reformen in den beiden Legislaturperioden beleuchten einzelne Kapitel des Sammelbands beispielsweise auch die Koalitionsbildungsprozesse, die Bürgerbeteiligung und den Einfluss organisierter Interessen unter der zweiten Landesregierung Kretschmann sowie die Verschiebungen im Parteiensystem in Baden-Württemberg.Table of ContentsEinleitung „Kiwi im Südwesten - Die grün-schwarze „Komplementärkoalition“ Kretschmann“.- Parteienwettbewerb und Koalitionsbildung in Baden-Württemberg im Rahmen der Landtagswahl 2021.- Die grün-schwarze Landesregierung in Baden-Württemberg 2016 im Lichte der Regierungsbildungsforschung.- Der Wahlrechtsstreit.- Vier fette Jahre und ein mageres.- Grün-schwarze Sozial- und Gesundheitspolitik: Im Südwesten nichts Neues?.- Innere Sicherheit und Justiz.- Asyl- und Integrationspolitik.- Die Bildungspolitik der grün-schwarzen Regierung in Baden-Württemberg 2016-2021.- Grün-schwarze Wissenschaftspolitik.- Landwirtschaftspolitik unter Grün-Schwarz.- Die Energiepolitik der grün-schwarzen Landesregierung in Baden-Württemberg.- Die Verkehrspolitik der grün-schwarzen Landesregierung Kretschmann II.- Die Digitalpolitik der grün-schwarzen Regierung.- Europa- und Außenpolitik des Landes Baden-Württemberg.- Beteiligungspolitik unter Grün-Schwarz.- Organisierte Interessen und die grün-schwarze Landesregierung in Baden-Württemberg.- Eine grün‐schwarze Bilanz.

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Book SynopsisWer nach den Grundlagen der Soziologie sucht, denkt üblicherweise nicht an Platon. Und wer sich grundlegend mit Platon beschäftigt, sucht üblicherweise nicht nach dessen Soziologie. Doch in beiden Fällen wird das Erkenntnispotenzial der Schriften des athenischen Akademielehrers nicht vollständig ausgeschöpft: Das Buch demonstriert, dass Platons Behandlung des Verhältnisses von Philosophie und Politik von einer soziologischen Konzeption getragen wird. Es entschlüsselt diese Konzeption vom Ausgangspunkt des sogenannten Siebten Briefs her, enthält einen systematischen Überblick des Ensembles sozialer Figuren, die Platon in seinen Dialogen auftreten lässt, und analysiert exemplarisch die soziale Dynamik im Hauptwerk Politeia. Auf diese Weise wird deutlich, dass die Lektüre Platons heutigen Soziologen helfen kann, die Grundlagen ihres Denkens besser zu verstehen, während umgekehrt soziologisches Denken allen Platon-Leser*innen ermöglicht, eine unbekannte Facette seiner Schriften zu entdecken.Table of ContentsElemente der Biographie Platons.- Corpus Platonicum: Überblick des Werks.- Politeia: ,Lehre vom Lebenslauf‘ und soziale Praxis.- (Neo-)Sokratische Konstellationen.

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Book SynopsisVor dem Hintergrund der Tatsache, dass innovatives Handeln in der Gegenwart eine große Wertschätzung erfährt, unternimmt das Buch eine Untersuchung des Begriffs, des Ursprungs, des Werts und der Spielarten der Kreativität. Kreativität ist immer ein bewusstes Menschenwerk, das überraschende Neuigkeiten hervorbringt; dabei können solche Neuigkeiten durchaus unterschiedlich bewertet werden und auch ihre Schattenseiten haben. Zur Anwendung kommt die Lust auf Neues in allen Bereichen des Lebens – in den Künsten und in den Wissenschaften, im Privatleben und in der Politik, bei Beziehungen zu anderen Personen und bei der Beziehung zu uns selbst. Das Buch geht detailliert auf die multiplen Facetten des Phänomens ein. Ob auch künstliche Intelligenzen zu kreativen Leistungen in der Lage sind, ist heute eine wichtige und stark umstrittene Frage, deren Antwort nicht zuletzt vom Begriff der Kreativität abhängen wird. Als besonders förderlich für die Ausbildung und Ausübung einer Lust auf Neues haben sich das Nichtstun, die Langeweile und Tagträumereien erwiesen.Table of Contents1. Überraschungen.- 2. Menschenwerk.- 3. Licht und Schatten.- 4. Expressive Kunst.- 5. Erkenntnisfortschritte.- 6. Die Meise des Indianers.- 7. Demokratische Innovationen.- 8. Eine Verwegenheit.- 9. Künstliche Intelligenz.- 10. Durch Langeweile lernen.- Literatur.- Danksagung.

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Book SynopsisDas Buch geht systematisch der Frage nach, wie das Denken Jacques Derridas für die soziologische Theoriebildung und Gesellschaftskritik fruchtbar gemacht werden kann. Dabei versucht es ersichtlich zu machen, wie Identitäten und Normen auf ihr ausgeschlossenes Anderes hin geöffnet werden können. Es richtet sich an interessierte Leser*innen der Soziologie, indem einerseits Derridas philosophische Denkbewegungen zur Sprache gebracht und andererseits ein soziologischer Übersetzungsprozess vollführt wird. Auf welch vielfältige Weise lässt sich innerhalb der Soziologie und auch der politischen Theorie an die Dekonstruktion anschließen? Eine Hierarchiekritik und eine Offenlegung geschlechtlich markierter Machtverhältnisse werden dabei ebenso eine Rolle spielen, wie eine dekonstruktive Befragung sozialer Gründungsszenen und eine soziologische Perspektivierung von Erfindung, Gabe und Gastfreundschaft. Soziologisch denken mit Jacques Derrida umfasst nicht den Entwurf einer wasserdichten Theorie, sondern eine Sensibilisierung für die Instabilität und Spannungen der sozialen Welt.Table of ContentsWie lässt sich die soziale Welt mit der Dekonstruktion erschließen?- Die Denkbewegungen der Dekonstruktion.- Die dekonstruktive Kritik an Begründungsfiguren und Hierarchien.- Die (Un-)Möglichkeit sozialer Handlungsweisen.- Zur Werkbiographie Jacques Derridas entlang einiger Textmarken.

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Book SynopsisJosef Šafařík’s Seven Letters to Melin is an exploration of man’s alienation from nature—and from himself—in the modern technological age. Conceived as a series of letters to Melin, an engineer who believes in the value of science and technical progress, the book grows skeptical of such endeavors, while also examining mankind’s search for meaning in life. To help uncover this meaning, Šafařík posits a dichotomy between spectator and participant. The role of participant is played by Robert, an artist who has committed suicide. The spectator, embodied by the scientist Melin, views the world from a distance and searches for explanations, while the artist-participant creates the world through his own active engagement. Through these exchanges, Šafařík argues for the primacy of artistic creativity over scientific explanation, of truth over accuracy, of internal moral agency over an externally imposed social morality, and of personal religious belief over organized church-going. Šafařík is neither anti-scientific nor anti-rational; however, he argues that science has limited power, and he rejects the idea of science that denies meaning and value to what cannot be measured or calculated. Šafařík’s critiques of technology, the wage economy, and increased professionalization make him an important precursor to the philosophy of deep ecology. This book was also a major influence on the Czech president Václav Havel; in this new translation it will find a fresh cohort of readers interested in what makes us human.Trade Review“Especially with conditions as they are today, the entire oeuvre of Šafařík appears to be the heir and continuation of a philosophical tradition to which it would now be wise to return.” -- David Drozd, Masaryk University“Šafařík sees that what ails modern science is the incompatibility between the truth to which it aspires and mankind’s desire for salvation.” -- Ivan M. Havel, director of the Center for Theoretical Study, Charles University, Prague

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Book SynopsisYan Fu introduced the Chinese intellectual world to the liberalism of John Stuart Mill partly by grasping Mill's ideas, but also by misunderstanding and projecting them onto indigenous Chinese values, which in turn led to criticism and resistance. Rather than bending Western liberalism to the purposes of Chinese nationalism, Yan initiated a distinctively Chinese liberal tradition that became a major component of China's modern political culture.

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Book SynopsisThis book presents a panoramic and extensive exploration of Chinese political philosophy, examining key political problems of the past, and the thinkers who addressed them. As the reader will discover, China’s traditional political philosophy is one with distinctive national characteristics and ideals. Therefore, the book helps to clarify the evolution of Chinese political thought, while also investigating fundamental political issues throughout the country’s history. The book offers a unique resource for researchers and graduate students in the fields of political science, philosophy, and history, as well as ordinary readers who are interested in China’s traditional and political culture.Trade Review“Zhang’s book enlightens and enriches the body of knowledge about the political thought of China. It contributes to a reflective anthropological, sociological, historical, political and philosophical body of scientific work. Students and Scholars within the abovementioned disciplines could benefit from this book as an essential read in Chinese political philosophical thought. It may also attract readers who are critical of China and the west and who constantly compare the two most powerful countries in the world.” (Zi Wang, Journal of Chinese Political Science, Vol. 27, 2022)Table of ContentsIntroduction.- Germination and embryonic form: Yin Shang and Western Zhou's Political and Philosophical Concepts.- Contention of a Hundred Schools of Thought：the Convergence of the Multiple Perspectives and Purpose of the Pre-Qin Philosophers.- The Discourse on the Natural and Human Spheres of Being: The Reorganization of Concepts and the Systematization of Political Thought in the Two Han Dynasties.- The Substance of Personality: Humanity’s Awakening and the Sculpting of the Ideal Personality in Politics.- Role Paradigms: The Value of Putting People First and Reflection on the Roles of Ruler and Minister.- The Ethical Constitution: Confucian Rationalism’s Consistent Linking of Constitution and Personality in the Two Song Dynasties.- Utilitarian Confucianism: The Appeal of “Kingliness Without” from the Perspective of the Barbarians (Yi), and the Chinese (Xia).- People-oriented perspective and Yi Xia：Political Anxiety and Political Concepts in the Ming Dynasty.- Criticism and Statecraft: Extreme Heights, and the Wane of Traditional Political Philosophy in the Early and Middle Qing Dynasty.

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Book SynopsisThis book brings the tools and ideas of Anglo-American analytic philosophy to bear on how we think about issues of contemporary significance, in a way that is accessible to a broad audience. While acknowledging empirical findings within the social sciences, it takes on the prescriptive task of imagining a better world, in which being citizens in a democracy means actively engaging with others. We cling to tribal affiliations which incline us to look inward and spurn those whom we deem to be “other.” And we observe the mind-numbing, herd-like impact of social (and other) media on our capacity – and that of our children – to distinguish truth and good sense from falsehood and nonsense. Such problems demand our attention as reasonable persons who both think for themselves, and deliberate in good faith with others with whom they may well disagree. The good news is that while reasonableness cannot be taken for granted, it can – indeed, it must – be nurtured and it must be taught. This book both articulates a conception of reasonableness and exemplifies a clear standard of reasonableness, with respect to the questions it raises and the author's responses to them. Trade Review“This is an important and timely book, refuting the confusion of attempting to find identity in qualities or collectives and in view of its reference to classroom contexts, one which should be of special interest to readers of Educational Philosophy and Theory.” (Jim Mackenzie, Educational Philosophy and Theory, April 11, 2023)Table of ContentsIntroduction.- What identity really is and why it matters.- On being a person as one among others.- The moral implications of being one among others (I): Descriptive and prescriptive perspectives on personhood, and the normative ideal of reasonableness.- The moral implications of being one among others (II): Persons, groups, and the Principle of Personal Worth.- Narrative and personhood: A fraught relationship.- Democracy and education: Cultivating reasonableness.

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Book SynopsisThis book puts forward the concept of “subjective anthropology” and outlines a theoretical system that will allow subjective anthropology to qualify as a new academic discipline in its own right. In an effort to respond to the field’s proper role as the science of humanity, subjective analysis has been introduced into the study of anthropology. The book fills two distinct gaps in our knowledge and understanding of modern man, offering detailed descriptions of personality and of groups, while also advancing the theory of “structure and choice.” The book formulates seven basic principles of subjective anthropology and divides anthropology into three major branches: subjective anthropology, cultural anthropology, and biological (or physical) anthropology, which can be further divided into sub-branches. The book pursues three key goals: advancing and developing the theoretical system of subjective anthropology, reconstructing the discipline of anthropology, and establishing a Chinese anthropology with Chinese characteristics, Chinese visions, and Chinese styles.Table of Contents1. Concept and Research Object of Subjective Anthropology.- 2. Theoretical Foundation and Mode of Thinking of Subjective Anthropology.- 3. The Essence of Human Life : Practical Subject.- 4. The Noumenon of Human Life – Man’s “Structure and Choice”.- 5. Personality Structure.- 6. Group Structure, Group Choice and Group Behavior Pattern.

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Book SynopsisWith the dawn of research into leader-behaviors, scholars differentiated between being task-oriented, which is important, and also being people-oriented. People matter. And we tend to guard against leader attitudes that treat persons as objects, as passive or inert, as instruments, as so much clay to be shaped and molded. Hannah Arendt (1958) rejected the idea that leadership is like work, in which a craftsman picks up the raw materials and the requisite tools in order to create a product according to an image in his head. No, she said, leadership is social action in which we all participate, each with his or her unique and creative spontaneity, collaborating in an erratic cascade toward the future. Leadership is something people do together. And to achieve that vision, we must acknowledge each other as persons and not as figures in a ledger or pieces on a chessboard. This volume is intended as a call to be curious about what we take for granted as individuals, educators, and leaders. In essence to ask ourselves the more difficult questions about who we are as we recognize our need for others within a community? What does it mean to be a person and to recognize another's personhood? Nathan Harter (2021) draws us into a space to dialogue with ourselves about the notion of personhood as leaders. "So, what does it mean to be a person? And what does it mean to treat someone as a person? What does anyone owe another person?" (p. 4). In what way then do leaders contend with such questions as they are becoming; becoming better leaders, becoming better individuals, becoming their sacred selves.A person-centered ethic would be universal in scope, yet adapted to local conditions that many leaders must deal with on a daily basis. Nearly every religion already addresses both what it means to become a person and what one owes a person ethically, regardless of race, ethnicity, nationality, or other affiliation. Regardless if organizations deal directly with the notion of personhood, leaders deal with the workplace challenges of which the human bring him or her entire self to the unit. Hence, a comprehensive and integrate context forces us to revisit our assumptions about who exactly is a person and what they might deserve. This volume would bring those voices into conversation. In addition, we intend to complicate the question by extending similar questions into emerging areas of increasing relevance in a technological age that crosses geographic boundaries, such as online presences, corporate entities, and the prospects of Artificial Intelligence. If anything, an expanded interdisciplinary and global context makes this volume relevant and timely for leaders and leadership studies across multiple fields of study and professions.

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Book SynopsisWith the dawn of research into leader-behaviors, scholars differentiated between being task-oriented, which is important, and also being people-oriented. People matter. And we tend to guard against leader attitudes that treat persons as objects, as passive or inert, as instruments, as so much clay to be shaped and molded. Hannah Arendt (1958) rejected the idea that leadership is like work, in which a craftsman picks up the raw materials and the requisite tools in order to create a product according to an image in his head. No, she said, leadership is social action in which we all participate, each with his or her unique and creative spontaneity, collaborating in an erratic cascade toward the future. Leadership is something people do together. And to achieve that vision, we must acknowledge each other as persons and not as figures in a ledger or pieces on a chessboard. This volume is intended as a call to be curious about what we take for granted as individuals, educators, and leaders. In essence to ask ourselves the more difficult questions about who we are as we recognize our need for others within a community? What does it mean to be a person and to recognize another's personhood? Nathan Harter (2021) draws us into a space to dialogue with ourselves about the notion of personhood as leaders. "So, what does it mean to be a person? And what does it mean to treat someone as a person? What does anyone owe another person?" (p. 4). In what way then do leaders contend with such questions as they are becoming; becoming better leaders, becoming better individuals, becoming their sacred selves.A person-centered ethic would be universal in scope, yet adapted to local conditions that many leaders must deal with on a daily basis. Nearly every religion already addresses both what it means to become a person and what one owes a person ethically, regardless of race, ethnicity, nationality, or other affiliation. Regardless if organizations deal directly with the notion of personhood, leaders deal with the workplace challenges of which the human bring him or her entire self to the unit. Hence, a comprehensive and integrate context forces us to revisit our assumptions about who exactly is a person and what they might deserve. This volume would bring those voices into conversation. In addition, we intend to complicate the question by extending similar questions into emerging areas of increasing relevance in a technological age that crosses geographic boundaries, such as online presences, corporate entities, and the prospects of Artificial Intelligence. If anything, an expanded interdisciplinary and global context makes this volume relevant and timely for leaders and leadership studies across multiple fields of study and professions.

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Book SynopsisThe result of a deep research work sustained for more than two decades, this book studies the construction of social knowledge from a constructivist perspective inherited from Piagetian thought. It thus advances in a process of revision and discussion, while maintaining crucial aspects of this current for the approach to the construction of the subject and the object of knowledge, in the search for the elaboration of an explanatory theory for the formation of new knowledge. A collaborative proposal between different disciplines of potential interest for the different actors who study and intervene in this field.

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Book SynopsisThe result of a deep research work sustained for more than two decades, this book studies the construction of social knowledge from a constructivist perspective inherited from Piagetian thought. It thus advances in a process of revision and discussion, while maintaining crucial aspects of this current for the approach to the construction of the subject and the object of knowledge, in the search for the elaboration of an explanatory theory for the formation of new knowledge. A collaborative proposal between different disciplines of potential interest for the different actors who study and intervene in this field.

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Book SynopsisThomas Hill, a leading figure in the recent development of Kantian moral philosophy, presents a series of essays that interpret and develop Kant''s ideas on ethics. The first part of the book focuses on basic concepts: a priori method, a good will, categorical imperatives, autonomy, and constructivist strategies of argument. Hill goes on to consider aspects of human welfare, and then moral worth--the nature and grounds of moral assessment of persons as deserving esteem or blame. He offers illuminating discussions of happiness, beneficence, personal values, conscience, moral desert, moral dilemmas, and feelings of regret. He is critical of Kant at many points, but he shows how many familiar objections miss the mark. Two previously unpublished essays challenge the views of other influential Kant scholars and defend alternative interpretations of Kant on beneficence, supererogation, and what it means to ''set oneself an end''. These clear and careful writings show moral, poltical, and socTrade ReviewThis collection brings together work of the calibre that has made Thomas E. Hill, Jr., a leader in the interpretation and development of Kant's ethics. Hill exhibits a rare combination of sensitivity to complex moral issues, insight into Kant's texts, and analytical incisivenss. In clear, jargon-free prose, these essays expertly draw the reader into the core of Kantian moral philosophy. * Ethics *Human Welfare and Moral Worth gives us plenty to think about ... the volume has the great virtue of defending positions that are subtle and reasonable as well as innovative and engaging. * Ethics *... splendidly produced volume. Thomas Hill has developed a distinctive line of Kant exposition and analysis which will repay close reading and careful consideration. Hill is an attentive and sensitive interpreter of Kant who takes Kant's major ethical writings as a starting point rather than an end point of argument. Hill is concerned to establish how Kant's practical philosophy engages with our lives and society and in an instructive and stimulating way. Hill is scholarly without being unduly scholastic. His project is to bring Kant's ideas alive by relating them to our contemporary moral and political dilemmas. In this I think he succeeds. * Kantian Review *Table of ContentsIntroduction ; 1. Kantian Analysis: From Duty to Autonomy ; 2. Is Good Will Over-Rated? ; 3. Hypothetical Consent in Kantian Constructivism ; 4. Beneficence and Self-Love ; 5. Reasonable Self-Interest ; 6. Happiness and Human Flourishing ; 7. Meeting Needs and Doing Favors ; 8. Personal Values and Setting Ends ; 9. Four Conceptions of Conscience ; 10. Wrongdoing, Desert, and Punishment ; 11. Punishment, Conscience, and Moral Worth ; 12. Moral Dilemmas, Gaps, and Residues ; Bibliography, Index

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Book SynopsisIt is often said that one person or society is ''freer'' than another, or that people have a right to equal freedom, or that freedom should be increased or even maximized. Such quantitative claims about freedom are of great importance to us, forming an essential part of our political discourse and theorizing. Yet their meaning has been surprisingly neglected by political philosophers until now.Ian Carter provides the first systematic account of the nature and importance of our judgements about degrees of freedom. He begins with an analysis of the normative assumptions behind the claim that individuals are entitled to a measure of freedom, and then goes on to ask whether it is indeed conceptually possible to measure freedom.Adopting a coherentist approach, the author argues for a conception of freedom that not only reflects commonly held intuitions about who is freer than whom but is also compatible with a liberal or freedom-based theory of justice.Trade ReviewReview from previous edition excellent book ... incisive ... does a great deal to revitalize a traditional and intuitively appealing strand of liberal thought... The book is a stimulating contribution to the literature on liberalism. * Thomas Hurka, TLS *Carter makes a significant contribution to contemporary reflection about freedom... a tour de force... a philosophical treat: anybody interested in thinking about freedom should take notice. * Mathias Risse, Ethics *Excellent ... Those interested in philosophical issues about liberty will find this book very worthwhile ...bristles with interesting ideas, arguments, and perspectives... an interesting and provacative book. * James W. Nickel, Law and Philosophy *the book leaves advocates and opponents of the freedom-based theory of justice with a challenging research agenda. * Jurgen de Wispelare, Political Studies *ambitious and challenging... A Measure of Freedom will... provide a large measure of satisfaction to readers with a taste for provocative and inventive philosophical argumentation. * Dan Hausman, The Economic Journal *Table of ContentsPART I: JUSTICE AND OVERALL FREEDOM; PART II: VALUE BASED FREEDOM; PART III: EMPRICAL FREEDOM; PART II: VALUE BASED FREEDOM; PART III: EMPRICAL FREEDOM

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Book SynopsisWhen is it right to go to war? The most persuasive answer to this question has always been ''in self-defense''. In a penetrating new analysis, bringing together moral philosophy, political science, and law, David Rodin shows what''s wrong with this answer. He proposes a comprehensive new theory of the right of self-defense which resolves many of the perplexing questions that have dogged both jurists and moral philosophers. By applying the theory of self-defense to international relations, Rodin produces a far-reaching critique of the canonical Just War theory. The simple analogy between self-defense and national defense - between the individual and the state - needs to be fundamentally rethought, and with it many of the basic elements of international law and the ethics of international relations.Trade Reviewrequired reading for anyone with a reflective interest in these issues. It is clearly and shrewdly argued throughout, insightful, provocative, and elegantly written. * Notre Dame Philosophical Reviews *Rodin's discussion of war and of self-defence seeks to drive a wedge between the two ideas. The first part of the book presents a robust account of the moral justification for killing in self-defence. The second part argues, convincingly in my view, that waging war cannot be morally justified as a form of self-defence. * Richard Norman, Journal of Applied Philosophy *his critique of the rights-based theory of war as self-defence should be required reading for anyone concerned with questions about the morality of war. And in the current state of the world, that ought to mean everyone. * Richard Norman, Journal of Applied Philosophy *Nothing could be more timely . . . than a careful reconsideration of the relation between war and the self-defense of citizens. David Rodin's War and Self-Defense is everything such a book should be: a careful and learned exploration of the topic that resolves some long-standing issues while raising new questions and advancing new proposals for how to think about war. "A dispiriting level of confusion is often evident in both popular and philosophical-legal thought on the justice of war," he remarks midway through his study (p. 126). Rodin's is just the sort of work we need to address this problem. It will be a starting point for discussion of these topics in the future. * Cheyney C. Ryan, Ethics and International Affairs 18/4, 2004 *illuminating and provocative * Jeff McMahan, Ethics and International Affairs 18/4, 2004 *In War and Self-Defense David Rodin uncovers many flaws of current thinking about war. Rodin correctly points out that the justification of national self-defense goes beyond the justification of individual self-defense. He accurately rejects the standard notion of moral symmetry--the accepted view that both just and unjust warriors can permissibly kill enemies as long as they observe the laws of war. Rodin vindicates the right view: if a war is unjust, each and every injury caused by the unjust warrior is a criminal act. There are no morally justified killings by those who fight unjust wars. Further, Rodin rightly rejects various holistic theories of self-defense. Last but not least, he correctly denounces . . . the idea that tyrannical governments are worth defending against interventions aimed at deposing them because they are protected by the principle of sovereignty. * Fernando R. Tesón, Ethics and International Affairs 18/4, 2004 *Table of ContentsI. SELF-DEFENSE ; II. NATIONAL DEFENSE

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Book SynopsisThis comparative history of political thought examines what the Western and Islamic approaches to politics had in common and where they diverged. The book considers how various ancient and medieval thought-patterns did or did not lead to modern developments; and how sacred monarchy, the legitimacy of the state, and the role of the people were looked upon in each culture. The author focuses on the period from the rise of Islam to the European Reformation, but his analysis extends to the main genres of political thought up to the present. He argues that until the mid-eleventh century, Europe, Islam, and the Byzantine world had more in common than is commonly thought. What made the West different was the papal revolution of the late eleventh century, Europe''s twelfth-century ''renaissance'', and the gradual secularization of political thought which followed. At the same time, Islam, after an early blossoming, interpreted its own revelation more and more narrowly. This volume throws lightTable of ContentsPreface ; Introduction ; 1. Religion and Politics: the West, Islam, Byzantium ; 2. Legitimacy: the Caliphate and the State ; 3. Society ; 4. Regimes: Europe, Byzantium, Islam ; 5. Practical Politics ; 6. Approaches to Political Thought ; 7. Changes in Religion and Politics ; 8. The Origins of Western Political Thought ; Epilogue ; Appendix ; Bibliography ; Primary Sources ; Secondary Sources

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Book SynopsisOxford Studies in the Philosophy of Law is an annual forum for some of the best new philosophical work on law, by both senior and junior scholars from around the world. The essays range widely over issues in general jurisprudence (the nature of law, adjudication, and legal reasoning), the philosophical foundations of specific areas of law (from criminal law to evidence to international law), the history of legal philosophy, and related philosophical topics that illuminate the problems of legal theory. OSPL will be essential reading for philosophers, academic lawyers, political scientists, and historians of law who wish to keep up with the latest developments in this flourishing field.Table of Contents1. Reason-Giving and the Law ; 2. The Standard Picture and Its Discontents ; 3. Legal Judgments as Plural Acceptance of Norms ; 4. Rule-Scepticism Restated ; 5. Can There be a Written Constitution? ; 6. The Rules of Trial, Political Morality and the Costs of Error: Or, Is Proof Beyond a Reasonable Doubt Doing More Harm than Good? ; 7. Self-Defense: The Imminence Requirement ; 8. Criminal Law, Philosophy, and Psychology: Working At the Cross-roads

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