Political Reason and Interest: Philosophical Legitimation of the Political Order in a Pluralistic Society (Avebury Series in Philosophy) - Hardcover

Erp, Herman H.H.Van

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 1840149167 ISBN 13: 9781840149166

Publisher: Ashgate Publishing Limited, 2000

Synopsis

The major themes of this book are politics and interests. It examines the relationship between politics and interests from an abstract philosophical perspective rather than from the perspective of practical politics, and shows that the central task of politics is to serve the common interest and that the means for realizing the common interest resides in the political power of taking and implementing decisions. A modern plural democracy gives expression to this task in a characteristic way, by making the justification and legitimation of power part of the political "game". The democratic way of dealing with political power has a unique value which the author argues has been neglected by political theory. The present work aims to address this shortcoming.

About this title

About the Author

Herman van Erp (1943) was associate professor for social philosophy and ethics at Tilburg University (Netherlands), visiting professor in Antwerp and Nice. He specialised in Kant and Hegel. Since 2012, he is adjunct professor at the University of Fort Hare, South Africa. Other publications see: http://nl.linkedin.com/pub/herman-van-erp/3/292/a08

Edition details

• Publisher: Ashgate Publishing Limited
• Publication date: 2000
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1840149167
• ISBN 13: 9781840149166
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 222