September 14, 2016
Democracy and Freedom
I have a paper in the forthcoming Oxford Handbook of Freedom called “Democracy and Freedom”. It’s available online first here. Abstract: There seems to be an intimate connection between democracy and…
Posts filed under democracy
September 13, 2016
The Expressive Meaning of Democracy (Plus: Why Are Philosophers so Enamored of Semiotic Arguments?)
In chapter 5 of Against Democracy, I attack “semiotic” or expressive arguments for democracy. These arguments try to prove that democracy is intrinsically just, or epistocracy is intrinsically unjust, because of…
September 07, 2016
Against Democracy at the National Interest
Today at the the National Interest, I have a 300o-word adapted version of Against Democracy. Beginning: Just over twenty years ago Francis Fukuyama declared liberal democracy the end of history. But history marched on,…
August 21, 2016
The Conservative Argument for Democracy
In my view, what’s the most troubling argument against my view? I’m not impressed by any of the deontological arguments for democracy. But here’s a type of consequentialist objection which I’m…
August 18, 2016
Schleisser contra Brennan on Epistocracy, Sort Of
Eric Schleisser considers himself a fierce critic of Brennanism. I’m not so sure he his, because he often seems to be arguing against positions that are closely related to mine,…
August 16, 2016
Politics Is Not a Poem: Against Semiotic Arguments for Democracy
Excerpted from the intro of chapter 5–perhaps my favorite chapter–of Against Democracy. “The instinct of worship is still so strong upon us that, having nearly worn out our capacity…