Philosophy in a Time of Lost Spirit: Essays on Contemporary Theory

Ronald Beiner, Conference for the Study of Political Thought

University of Toronto Press, Jan 1, 1997 - Philosophy - 240 pages

In the last two centuries, our world would have been a safer place if philosophers such as Rousseau, Marx, and Nietzsche had not given intellectual encouragement to the radical ideologies of Jacobins, Stalinists, and fascists. Maybe the world would have been better off, from the standpoint of sound practice, if philosophers had engaged in only modest, decent theory, as did John Stuart Mill. Yet, as Ronald Beiner contends, the point of theory is not to think safe thoughts; the point is to open intellectual horizons.

In Philosophy in a Time of Lost Spirit, Beiner reflects on the dualism of theory and practice. The purpose of the theorist is not to offer sensible guidance on the conduct of social life but to test the boundaries of our vision of social order. Whereas the liberal citizen should embody the practical virtues of prudence and moderation, the theorist should be radical, probing, and immoderate. Looking back at the liberal-communitarian debate of the 1980s, Beiner recognizes that the antidote to our spiritless times lies neither in the embrace of community over individualism nor of individualism over community: both individual and community need to be submitted to radical questioning. It is by exposing ourselves to the challenge of fearless thinking encountered at the philosophical extremities that we are most likely to understand our own world at a deeper level.

In this collection of essays and reviews, Ronald Beiner helps us to think critically about the thought-worlds of our foremost contemporary thinkers, including Hannah Arendt, Allan Bloom, Michel Foucault, Hans-Georg Gadamer, Jèrgen Habermas, Will Kymlicka, Christopher Lasch, Richard Rorty, Judith Shklar, Leo Strauss, Charles Taylor, and Michael Walzer.

Contents

• Liberalism in the CrossHairs of Theory: 3
• The Proper Bounds of Self: 18
• Reconciling Liberty and Equality: 21
• Cruelty First: 25
• Liberalism as Neutralism: 28
• Revising the Self: 35
• Liberalism Pluralism and Religion: 44
• Richard Rortys Liberalism: 51
• Foucaults HyperLiberalism: 64
• Interrogating Modernity: 81
• Do We Need a Philosophical Ethics? Theory Prudence and the Primacy of Ethos: 83
• Rescuing the Rationalist Heritage: 95
• Accepting Finitude: 102
• The Uncommenced Dialogue: 105
• Response from a Colleague with a Rejoinder: 118
• Eros and the Bourgeoisie: 134
• The Legacy of Christopher Lasch: 139
• Hermeneutical Generosity and Social Criticism: 151
• Thin Ice: 167
• Practical Wisdom: 175
• Rereading Hannah Arendts Kant Lectures: 184
• NOTES: 195
• INDEX: 229

Bibliographic information

• Title: Philosophy in a Time of Lost Spirit: Essays on Contemporary Theory; G - Reference,Information and Interdisciplinary Subjects Series
• Authors: Ronald Beiner, Conference for the Study of Political Thought
• Edition: illustrated
• Publisher: University of Toronto Press, 1997
• ISBN: 0802080677, 9780802080677
• Length: 240 pages
• Subjects: Philosophy / Political