Reasons and Recognition : Essays on the Philosophy of T. M. Scanlon

For close to forty years now T.M. Scanlon has been one of the most important contributors to moral and political philosophy in the Anglo-American world. Through both his writing and his teaching, he has played a central role in shaping the questions with which research in moral and political philosophy now grapples. Reasons and Recognition brings together fourteen new papers on an array of topics from the many areas to which Scanlon has made path-breaking contributions, each of which develops a distinctive and independent position while critically engaging with central themes from Scanlon's own work in the area. Contributors include well-known senior figures in moral and political philosophy as well as important younger scholars whose work is just beginning to gain wider recognition. Taken together, these papers make evident the scope and lasting interest of Scanlon's contributions to moral and political philosophy while contributing to a deeper understanding of the issues addressed in his work. --From publisher's description Cover......Page 1 CONTENTS......Page 8 Preface......Page 6 Contributors......Page 10 PART ONE: REASON, VALUE, AND DESIRE......Page 16 1. The Activity of Reason......Page 18 2. Valuing......Page 38 3. Aims as Reasons......Page 58 4. Scanlon on Desire and the Explanation of Action......Page 94 PART TWO: ETHICAL THEMES: CONTRACTUALISM, PROMISSORY OBLIGATION, AND TOLERANCE......Page 114 5. Of Metaethics and Motivation: The Appeal of Contractualism......Page 116 6. Contractualism on the Shoal of Aggregation......Page 144 7. Immoral, Conflicting, and Redundant Promises......Page 170 8. The Trouble with Tolerance......Page 194 PART THREE: POLITICAL THEMES: CONSERVATISM, JUSTICE, AND PUBLIC REASON......Page 216 9. Rescuing Conservatism: A Defense of Existing Value......Page 218 10. Global Political Justice and the “Democratic Deficit”......Page 246 11. Establishment, Exclusion, and Democracy’s Public Reason......Page 271 12. The Significance of Distribution......Page 291 PART FOUR: RESPONSIBILITY......Page 320 13. The Trouble with Psychopaths......Page 322 14. Blame, Italian Style......Page 347 15. Dispassionate Opprobrium: On Blame and the Reactive Sentiments......Page 363 B......Page 388 E......Page 389 M......Page 390 Q......Page 391 S......Page 392 V......Page 393 W......Page 394 This Work Brings Together 14 Papers On An Array Of Topics From The Many Areas To Which Philosopher Thomas Scanlon Has Made Path-breaking Contributions, Each Of Which Develops A Distinctive And Independent Position While Critically Engaging With Central Themes From Scanlon's Own Work In The Area. Edited By R. Jay Wallace, Rahul Kumar, And Samuel Freeman. Includes Index. For close to forty years now T.M. Scanlon has been one of the most important contributors to moral and political philosophy in the Anglo-American world. Through both his writing and his teaching, he has played a central role in shaping the questions with which research in moral and political philosophy now grapples. __Reasons and Recognition__ Reasons and Recognition brings together fourteen new papers on an array of topics from the many areas to which philosopher Thomas Scanlon has made path-breaking contributions, each of which develops a distinctive and independent position while critically engaging with central themes from Scanlon's own work in the area.