{"product_id":"agents-of-change-political-philosophy-in-practice-9780674258419","title":"Agents of Change: Political Philosophy in Practice","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eAn incisive argument for the relevance of political philosophy and its possibility of effecting change.\u003c\/b\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eThe appeal of political philosophy is that it will answer questions about justice for the sake of political action. But contemporary political philosophy struggles to live up to this promise. Since the death of John Rawls, political philosophers have become absorbed in methodological debates, leading to an impasse between two unattractive tendencies: utopians argue that philosophy should focus uncompromisingly on abstract questions of justice, while pragmatists argue that we should concern ourselves only with local efforts to ameliorate injustice. \u003ci\u003eAgents of Change\u003c\/i\u003e shows a way forward. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eBen Laurence argues that we can combine utopian justice and the pragmatic response to injustice in a political philosophy that unifies theory and practice in pursuit of change. Political philosophy, on this view, is not a purely normative theory disconnected from practice. Rather, political philosophy is itself a practice--an exercise of practical reason issuing in action. Laurence contends that this exercise begins in ordinary life with the confrontation with injustice. Philosophy draws ideas about justice from this encounter to be pursued through political action. Laurence shows that the task of political philosophy is not complete until it asks the question \"What is to be done?\" and deliberates actionable answers.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAbout the Author\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eLaurence, Ben:\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e - Ben Laurence is Associate Instructional Professor in the Social Sciences at the University of Chicago and a member of the Pozen Family Center for Human Rights. His work appears in numerous journals, as well as the collections \u003ci\u003eEssays on Anscombe's \"Intention\"\u003c\/i\u003e and \u003ci\u003ePractical Normativity\u003c\/i\u003e.","brand":"Harvard University Press","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":50380860358930,"sku":"9780674258419","price":39.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0831\/4771\/8930\/files\/img_967e670b-1a7c-4ef2-be8b-9b45d6124178.jpg?v=1728688796","url":"https:\/\/surprise-castle.myshopify.com\/products\/agents-of-change-political-philosophy-in-practice-9780674258419","provider":"Surprise Castle","version":"1.0","type":"link"}