Pluralism

Against the Demand for Consensus

By: Nicholas Rescher

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Paperback | 14 September 1995

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220 Pages

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Nicholas Rescher presents a critical reaction against two currently influential tendencies of thought. On the one hand, he rejects the facile relativism that pervades contemporary social and academic life. On the other hand, he opposes the rationalism inherent in neo-contractarian theory--both in the idealized communicative-contract version promoted in continental European political philosophy by J;urgen Habermas, and in the idealized social contract version of the theory of political justice promoted in the Anglo-American context by John Rawls. Against such tendencies, Rescher's pluralist approach takes a more realistic and pragmatic line, eschewing the convenient recourse of idealization in cognitive and practical matters. Instead of a utopianism that looks to a uniquely perfect order that would prevail under ideal conditions, he advocates incremental improvements within the framework of arrangements that none of us will deem perfect but that all of us "can live with." Such an
approach replaces the yearning for an unattainable consensus with the institution of pragmatic arrangements in which the community will acquiesce--not through agreeing on their optimality, but through a shared recognition among the dissonant parties that the available options are even worse.

Industry Reviews

'Rescher provides a cogent and sustained attack on the thesis that consensus is necessary and sufficient and desirable for rationality, truth, communication, cooperation, and social order. He also offers a powerful argument in favor of dissensus ... Highly recommended for all libraries.' W.F. Desmond, Black Hawk College, Choice, May '94 `Rescher reveals the flaws of certain consensus theories of truth ... fundamental and well-reasoned challenges to prevailing conceptions of justification, which defenders of proceduralism and consensus would do well to consider carefully.' Political Studies

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You Can Find This Book In

Non-Fiction Philosophy Social & Political Philosophy Philosophy & Logic Politics & Government Political Science & Theory

Preface	p. v
Introduction	p. 1
Consensus, Rationality, and Epistemic Morality	p. 5
Is Consensus Required in the Pursuit of Truth?	p. 21
The Problems of a Consensus Theory of Truth	p. 44
The Experiential Basis of Cognitive Diversity and the Unavoidability of Pluralism	p. 64
Does Pluralism Lead to Scepticism or Syncretism?	p. 79
Pluralism Without Indifferentism	p. 98
Problems of Evaluative Consensus	p. 127
Does Communication Require Consensus?	p. 137
Is Consensus Required for a Benign Social Order?	p. 156
Problems of Consensus as a Political Ideal	p. 186
Bibliography	p. 201
Index of Names	p. 207
Table of Contents provided by Publisher. All Rights Reserved.

Pluralism

Against the Demand for Consensus

At a Glance

Paperback

Industry Reviews

Shipping

How to return your order

Defective items

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