Political Philosophy

Advance praise: 'In this extraordinarily learned, clear, and wide-ranging book, Ronald Beiner analyzes the contributions of twelve leading thinkers of the twentieth century to political philosophy, from Arendt to Rorty, Strauss to Foucault, and Oakeshott to Rawls. Readers may well find themselves disagreeing here and there with specific judgments rendered in Political Philosophy - some being perhaps too harsh, others too lenient - but every reader, I believe, will be impressed by the humane seriousness that beats at the center of this impressive book, which seeks not to score points but to understand, eschewing scholarly quibbles in favor of the central question of the human good. Beiner makes for an outstanding guide through the intellectual life of the modern era.' Robert C. Bartlett, Boston College Advance praise: 'A terrific book - beautifully written, elegantly argued, wise, passionate, and personal - that both succinctly summarizes the compelling visions of twelve writers and defends their commitment, acknowledged or not, to the idea that properly 'epic' political philosophy should offer an ideal of the good life. Beiner makes a persuasive case for the view that inspiring and substantive political philosophy was not dead before the arrival of Rawls but very much alive and responsive to the crisis of modernity provoked by the tragedies of the past century.' Dave Archard, Queen's University Belfast