Philosophy and its Public Role

The role of the public intellectual is less developed in the UK than, say, France, where philosophers are expected to be engaged in social issues. This second volume from the St Andrews studies in philosophy and public affairs presents a wide range of essays in three sections: philosophy, society and culture; ethics, economics and justice; and rights, law and punishment. The papers in the first section articulate a notion of public reason and the responsibility of intellectuals, while issues examined later in the volume include postmortem reproduction, equality, globalisation and technology, human rights, the deterrence theory of punishment and capital punishment. All the essays reflect the use of 'practical reason' in addressing contemporary concerns.