How can we achieve and sustain a "decent" liberal society, one that
aspires to justice and equal opportunity for all and inspires
individuals to sacrifice for the common good? In this book, a
continuation of her explorations of emotions and the nature of
social justice, Martha Nussbaum makes the case for love. Amid the
fears, resentments, and competitive concerns that are endemic even
to good societies, public emotions rooted in love-in intense
attachments to things outside our control-can foster commitment to
shared goals and keep at bay the forces of disgust and envy. Great
democratic leaders, including Abraham Lincoln, Mohandas Gandhi, and
Martin Luther King Jr., have understood the importance of
cultivating emotions. But people attached to liberalism sometimes
assume that a theory of public sentiments would run afoul of
commitments to freedom and autonomy. Calling into question this
perspective, Nussbaum investigates historical proposals for a
public "civil religion" or "religion of humanity" by Jean-Jacques
Rousseau, Auguste Comte, John Stuart Mill, and Rabindranath Tagore.
She offers an account of how a decent society can use resources
inherent in human psychology, while limiting the damage done by the
darker side of our personalities. And finally she explores the
cultivation of emotions that support justice in examples drawn from
literature, song, political rhetoric, festivals, memorials, and
even the design of public parks. "Love is what gives respect for
humanity its life," Nussbaum writes, "making it more than a shell."
Political Emotionsis a challenging and ambitious contribution to
political philosophy.
General
Is the information for this product incomplete, wrong or inappropriate?
Let us know about it.
Does this product have an incorrect or missing image?
Send us a new image.
Is this product missing categories?
Add more categories.
Review This Product
No reviews yet - be the first to create one!
Welcome to Loot.co.za!
Sign in / Register |Wishlists & Gift Vouchers |Help | Advanced search
