Description
Book Synopsis* An ideal introduction to the emerging field of Toleration, a critical topic in political philosophy * Written in a lively prose style, ideal for classroom use.
Trade Review"Cohen tells us that the history of liberalism is the history of toleration. The claim survives reflection: few events in human history have been more important than when your religion ceased to be regarded as a good reason to kill you. Toleration is remarkably bold yet remarkably engaging, simply written, and brimming with insight."
—David Schmidtz, Center for the Philosophy of Freedom
"Cohen's book provides an exemplary analysis of what toleration is (and is not), and a lucid assessment of the reasons - strong and weak - why it is so valuable."
—Hillel Steiner, Professor Emeritus, University of Manchester and Research Professor, University of Arizona
"Written in an accessible style and unafraid to embrace controversy, Andrew Cohen provides a lively and challenging introduction to the meaning and justification of toleration. He robustly defends his own principles of toleration, and his conclusions about some of the examples he discusses, along with the arguments in favour of them, are especially likely to stimulate debate and discussion, both among students and their teachers."
—John Horton, Keele University
"The iron-fisted King Feris treated everyone equally but tolerated little, while King Juris tolerated everything except for harm to others. Who would not prefer King Juris? And who would argue that toleration is not important? Andrew Cohen's snappy, often amusing, style makes the issue come alive, and is more effective than a straightforward argument for the importance of toleration. Cohen also challenges society-wide shibboleths by arguing that drug use, pornography, and prostitution by and with consenting adults ought to be tolerated, but corporations as they are currently instituted ought not. The book is a fine introduction to toleration."
—Neera Badhwar, University of Oklahoma (Emerita) and George Mason University (Affiliate)
Table of ContentsAcknowledgments viii
Introduction 1
1 The Topic and Its Historical Relevance 8
2 Two Approaches to the Normative Issues 19
3 The Harm Principle 36
4 Other Principles 55
5 Extending the Harm Principle 86
6 Children and the Paradoxes of Toleration and
Liberalism 111
7 General Defenses of Toleration 125
8 Conclusion 151
Notes 157
References 168
Index 173
