Doubt and the Demands of Democratic CitizenshipThe triumph of democracy has been heralded as one of the greatest achievements of the twentieth century, yet it seems to be in a relatively fragile condition in the United States, if one is to judge by the proliferation of editorials, essays, and books that focus on politics and distrust of government. Doubt and the Demands of Democratic Citizenship explores the reasons for public discontent and proposes an account of democratic citizenship appropriate for a robust democracy. David Hiley argues that citizenship is more than participating in the electoral process. It requires a capacity to participate in the deliberative process with other citizens who might disagree, a capacity that combines deep convictions with a willingness to subject those convictions. Hiley develops his argument by examining the connection between doubt and democracy generally, as well as through case studies of Socrates, Montaigne, and Rousseau, interpreting them in light of contemporary issues. |
Contents
2 Doubt and Democracy | 45 |
3 Private and Public Life | 73 |
4 Doubt and Conviction | 102 |
5 Individuality and Common Goods | 123 |
6 Democratic Education | 150 |
| 175 | |
| 183 | |
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American amour amour de soi Amy Gutmann argued aspects Athenian Athenian democracy Athens believe Cambridge capacity Chapter characterized Charles Taylor citizens civic claim communitarian conception condition consensus constituted contested conviction criticism cynicism debate deep doubt deliberation deliberative demo democ democracy democracy’s discontent democratic citizenship democratic culture democratic decision democratic education disagreement Discourse distrust Donald Kagan Elshtain epistemological equality Essays essential foster Foucault freedom fundamental Goldfarb higher education human idea ideal indifference individual institutions interests interpretation issues Jurgen Habermas liberal liberal democracy lives merely Michael Michael Sandel modern Montaigne Montaigne’s moral nature one’s participation philosophical Plato pluralistic political theory politics of skepticism possible Princeton University Press public and private Pyrrhonian Pyrrhonian skeptics Pyrrhonism question reason requires Richard Rorty role Rousseau Sandel sense Seyla Benhabib simply social contract society Socrates Socrates’s sphere suggest tension tion tradition values virtue York