Public Reason and Political Community: (Bloomsbury Research in Political Philosophy)

Public Reason and Political Community defends the liberal ideal of public reason against its critics, but as a form of moral compromise for the sake of civic friendship rather than as a consequence of respect for persons as moral agents. At the heart of the principle of public justification is an idealized unanimity requirement, which can be framed in at least two different ways. Is it our reasons for political decisions that have to be unanimously acceptable to qualified points of view, otherwise we exclude them from deliberation, or is it coercive state action that must be unanimously acceptable, otherwise we default to not having a common rule or policy, on the issue at hand? Andrew Lister explores the 'anti-perfectionist dilemma' that results from this ambiguity. He defends the reasons model on grounds of the value of political community, and applies it to recent debates about marriage.

Table of Contents:
Preface 1. Public Reason in Practice and Theory 2. False Starts: Unsuccessful Justifications of Public Reason 3. Respect for Persons as a Constraint on Coercion 4. The Higher-Order Unanimity Escape Clause 5. Civic Friendship as a Constraint on Reasons for Decision 6. Public Reason and (Same-Sex) Marriage 7. Conclusion Notes Bibliography Index

About the Author :
Andrew Lister is Associate Professor in the Department of Political Studies, Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada.

Review :
Public Reason and Political Community offers an extremely interesting and provocative analysis of a topic whose philosophical and practical importance will only continue to increase. Lister's argument is certain to stimulate productive debate, and is deserving of widespread engagement both within and beyond the academy. -- Shaun P. Young, University of Toronto Political Studies Review Volume 13, Issue 2 Public Reason and Political Community has many strengths, especially its original attempt to provide a civic friendship foundation for political liberalism [...] Lister makes clear that public reason liberals must face up to the anti-perfectionist dilemma, something many in the literature have not recognized. Further, he has invented several new approaches to public reason to help solve the dilemma -- strategies with which all interested parties should become familiar. Public Reason and Political Community is thus a significant contribution to an ongoing and fruitful research program. Most importantly, Lister helps us understand how to live on moral terms with citizens who disagree with us about important matters. That is a significant achievement. -- Kevin Vallier, Bowling Green State University Notre Dame Philosophical Reviews With his book, Andrew Lister contributes to a better understanding of the principle of public justification and its foundation. -- Fabian Wendt, Hamburg Journal of Philosophical Research, Volume 68:4 Talk of "public reason" has been ubiquitous in recent political philosophy. But there have only been a small number of attempts to unpack and defend the concept systematically. Andrew Lister's book performs a vital service in providing a very perspicuous account of how the concept can be grounded, and how it can substantively shape public debate on hot-button issues such as same-sex marriage. This book will be an important touchstone for discussion for years to come. Daniel Weinstock, Professor of Law, McGill University, Canada Public Reason and Political Community is a careful defence of the "shared reasons" approach to public reason. Appealing only to reasons for political decisions that can be shared with fellow citizens, Lister argues, makes possible civic friendship across deep moral differences. In the course of his analysis Lister engages with a wide variety of philosophers, both friends and skeptics of the public reason approach to political philosophy, and shows how his account can be brought to bear on public policy. Public Reason and Political Community is an important contribution to the ongoing project of analyzing the conditions under which people with fundamentally clashing moral commitments can live together in a community of respect. In this book Lister shows himself to be one of the leading theorists of public reason. Gerald Gaus, Professor of Philosophy, The University of Arizona, USA Andrew Lister offers a novel account of public reason that links to the importance for mutual respect among members of a democratic community. In making his case, he blends a sophisticated discussion of the recent philosophical literature with an analysis of how this idea manifests itself in a variety of ways in debates among citizens in a number of policy areas. Richard Bellamy, Professor of Political Science, Director of the European Institute, University College London, UK Public reason and public justification have become central to understanding both the theory and practice of liberalism. Lister offers a clear and compelling account of these two concepts that adds much needed detail to the debate. Simone Chambers, Professor of Political Science, University of Toronto, Canada