{"product_id":"pragmatist-politics-making-the-case-for-liberal-democracy-paperback-softback-9780816679041","title":"Pragmatist Politics; Making the Case for Liberal Democracy (Paperback \/ softback) 9780816679041","description":"\u003cfont face=\"Georgia\"\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cfont size=\"6\"\u003ePragmatist Politics\u003c\/font\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\r\n\u003cfont size=\"5\"\u003eMaking the Case for Liberal Democracy\u003c\/font\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cfont size=\"4\"\u003eJohn McGowan (Author)\u003c\/font\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cfont size=\"3\"\u003e9780816679041\u003c\/font\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cfont size=\"3\"\u003ePaperback \/ softback, published 5 July 2012\u003c\/font\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cfont size=\"3\"\u003e280 pages\u003cbr\u003e21.6 x 14 x 3.6 cm, 0.666 kg\u003c\/font\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\u003cp align=\"justify\"\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cfont size=\"3\"\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\"This is an exceptional book, both instructive and challenging, and one that almost anyone concerned with the huge political problems facing modern, developed societies will welcome.\" -Alan Malachowski, author of\u003ci\u003e The New Pragmatism\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\u003c\/font\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp align=\"justify\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cfont size=\"3\"\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn our current age of cynicism, John McGowan suggests that the time is right to take a fresh look at pragmatism, the philosophy of American democracy. As McGowan shows, pragmatism can be an inspiring alternative to the despair that seems to dominate contemporary American politics. \u003ci\u003ePragmatist Politics\u003c\/i\u003e is passionate and convincing, both heartfelt and clear-eyed. It offers an expansive vision of what the United States could be and should be.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFrom John Dewey and William James, McGowan derives a history of democracy as a way of life, characterized by a distinctive ethos and based on an understanding of politics as potentially effective collective agency. That democratic ideal is wedded to a liberalism that focuses on extending the benefits of democracy and of material prosperity to all. Beyond the intellectual case for liberal democracy, McGowan turns to how James, especially, was attuned to the ways that emotional appeals often trump persuasion through arguments, and he examines the work of Kenneth Burke, among others, to investigate the link between liberal democracy and a comic view of human life. Comedy, McGowan notes, allows consideration of themes of love, forgiveness, and generosity that figure far too infrequently in philosophical accounts of politics.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn McGowan’s work, the combination of pragmatism and comedy takes us on a wide-ranging exploration of what American politics-and by extension American life-could actually be like if it truly reflected American values.\u003ci\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\u003c\/font\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cfont size=\"3\"\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003eContents\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003eA Note on References\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eIntroduction: Philosophy and Democracy\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e1. The Philosophy of Possibility\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e2. Is Progress Possible?\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e3. The Democratic Ethos\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e4. Human Rights\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e5. Liberal Democracy as Secular Comedy\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003eAppendix: Martha Nussbaum’s List of “Central Human Functional Capabilities”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003eAcknowledgments\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eNotes\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eIndex\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\u003c\/font\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\u003c\/font\u003e","brand":"Univ Of Minnesota Press","offers":[{"title":"Brand New","offer_id":52570079691032,"sku":"9780816679041","price":20.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"url":"https:\/\/freshlyprintedbooks.co.uk\/products\/pragmatist-politics-making-the-case-for-liberal-democracy-paperback-softback-9780816679041","provider":"Freshly Printed Books","version":"1.0","type":"link"}