Why We Argue (And How We Should): A Guide to Political Disagreement

Why We Argue (And How We Should): A Guide to Political Disagreement presents an accessible and engaging introduction to the theory of argument, with special emphasis on the way argument works in public political debate. The authors develop a view according to which proper argument is necessary for one’s individual cognitive health; this insight is then expanded to the collective health of one’s society. Proper argumentation, then, is seen to play a central role in a well-functioning democracy.

Written in a lively style and filled with examples drawn from the real world of contemporary politics, and questions following each chapter to encourage discussion, Why We Argue (And How We Should): A Guide to Political Disagreement reads like a guide for the participation in, and maintenance of, modern democracy. An excellent student resource for courses in critical thinking, political philosophy, and related fields, Why We Argue (And How We Should): A Guide to Political Disagreement is an important contribution to reasoned debate.

Robert B. Talisse is Professor of Philosophy and Political Science at Vanderbilt University. Talisse is the editor of the journal, Public Affairs Quarterly, and is co-host of the podcast, "New Books in Philosophy." He is the author of five books, including Engaging Political Philosophy: An Introduction (forthcoming), Pluralism and Liberal Politics (Routledge, 2011), and Democracy and Moral Conflict (2009), which was a finalist for the 2011 APA Book Prize, and he co-wrote with Scott F. Aikin, Pragmatism: A Guide for the Perplexed (2008).

Scott F. Aikin is Assistant Professor of Philosophy at Vanderbilt University. His previous books include, Epistemology and the Regress Problem (Routledge 2010) and Pragmatism: A Guide for the Perplexed (with Robert B, Talisse, 2008).