Description
Book SynopsisSociality and Responsibility develops and extends the application of her plural subject theory of human sociality, first introduced in the earlier works On Social Facts and Living Together. Demonstrating the extensive range and fruitfulness of plural subject theory Gilbert presents accounts of social rules, scientific change, political obligation, collective remorse, collective guilt, shared intention and an important class of rights and obligations.
Trade ReviewMargaret Gilbert has been exploring what we mean and what is implied when we speak of a group acting and being responsible. In these essays she extends her analysis of 'plural subjects' to illuminate such highly important issues as how we should understand contractual agreements, collective belief, and collective guilt. Her work merits sustained attention and a wide audience. -- Virginia Held, City University of New York
Margaret Gilbert's plural subject theory is the deepest and most powerful account of collectivity we have—the most important contribution to philosophical social theory in recent decades. In this collection of essays, she develops and extends her theory to such matters as scientific change, social rules, obligations from joint commitments, and collective remorse and guilt. These are indispensable contributions to the foundations of social theory and to the social foundations of ethics and politics. -- Frederick F. Schmitt, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
The book is well worth reading. The author has a superbly fine-grained grasp of material. The topics are absorbing. The approach is original. The examples are illuminating. * Mind: A Quarterly Review of Philosophy *
[Sociality and Responsibility] represents the extremely important development in political and social philosophy, going way beyond anything else in the subject. -- Gilbert Harman, Department of Philosophy, Princeton University
Table of ContentsChapter 1 Preface Chapter 2 Acknowledgments Chapter 3 1. Introduction: Sociality and Plural Subject Theory Chapter 4 2. What Is It forUs to Intend? Chapter 5 3. Collective Belief and Scientific Change Chapter 6 4. Obligation and Joint Commitment Chapter 7 5. Social Rules: Some Problems with Hart's Account, and an Alternative Proposal Chapter 8 6. Reconsidering the "Actual Contract" Theory of Political Obligation Chapter 9 7. Collective Remorse Chapter 10 8. The Idea of Collective Guilt Chapter 11 9. In Search of Sociality—Recent Developments in the Philosophy of Social Phenomena Chapter 12 Bibliography of Related Works by the Author Chapter 13 Comprehensive Bibliography Chapter 14 Index Chapter 15 About the Author
