Overview
- Argues that a realist turn is needed to bring about a proper understanding and defense of liberty.
- Provides a basis for the reality of both natural goodness and natural rights.
- Uses insights from Aquinas and Wittgenstein to defend cognitive realism and challenge constructivism.
Part of the book series: Palgrave Studies in Classical Liberalism (PASTCL)
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Table of contents (8 chapters)
Keywords
About this book
Douglas B. Rasmussen and Douglas J. Den Uyl maintain that a realist turn—namely, one in which the natural order is the basis for individual rights—is needed to bring about a proper understanding and defense of liberty. They argue that the critical character of individual rights results from their being tethered to metaphysical realism. After reprising their explanation and defense of natural rights, Rasmussen and Den Uyl explain metaphysical realism and defend it against neo-pragmatist objections. They show it to be a formidable and preferable alternative to epistemic constructivism and crucial for a suitable understanding of ideal theory.
Reviews
“Rasmussen and Den Uyl’s carefully worked out views deserve a wide audience.” (David Gordon, The Philosophical Quarterly, December 2, 2020)
“For Modern thought, reality is well lost. The Realist Turn not only discusses the presuppositions of antirealism and shows its theoretical weaknesses, but it also defends realism with rigor, clarity, and accuracy. What is peculiarly enlightening is the relation introduced between three areas—metaphysics, epistemology, and political philosophy—on this question of realism. A convincing book on a crucial topic!”
—Roger Pouivet, Professor of Philosophy, Université de Lorraine, Senior Member of the Institut Universitaire de France (Paris), and author of After Wittgenstein, St. Thomas (2008)
“This book is an elegant and significant analysis and defense of a form of Aristotelian realism. Arguing for a middle ground between Platonism on the one hand and constructivism on the other, the authors use Putnam’s realism and criticism as a foil. Steeped in Aristotelian metaphysics, the authors, in this in-depth analysis, utilize contemporary analytic philosophy in a masterful way.”
—Anthony J. Lisska, Maria Theresa Barney Professor of Philosophy, Denison University, USA
“Rasmussen and Den Uyl’s great theme is the importance of fundamental philosophy to getting political theory right. This capstone volume, building on their decades-long collaboration, makes an integrated case for a realist-based liberalism, fruitfully contrasting their position to the major contemporary liberal and libertarian alternatives, as well as their communitarian, impersonalist, and paternalist rivals.”
—Stephen R. C. Hicks, Professor of Philosophy, Rockford University, USA
"Rasmussen and Den Uyl build on their neo-Aristotelian defense of individual rights by explaining and critiquing challenges to the metaphysical realism that grounds their theory. This book is a must-have for anyone working at the intersection of ethics, epistemology, and political philosophy."
—Carrie-Ann Biondi, Associate Professor of Philosophy, Marymount Manhattan College, USA
“Rasmussen and Den Uyl provide a brilliant account of why and how metaphysical realism is necessary for basic, negative, and natural rights to life, liberty, and property. The Realist Turn is essential reading for anyone interested in natural rights, philosophical realism, and the fate of liberty in the modern age.”
—Khalil Habib, Associate Professor of Politics, Hillsdale College, USA
“In The Realist Turn: Repositioning Liberalism, the authors persuasively, winsomely, and convincingly encourage classical liberals and libertarians to reexamine the case for an individual’s natural right to liberty in the context of metaphysical realism.”
—Victor V. Claar, Associate Professor of Economics, Florida Gulf Coast University, USA
Authors and Affiliations
About the authors
Douglas B. Rasmussen is Professor of Philosophy at St. John’s University, NYC, USA.
Douglas J. Den Uyl is Vice-President of Educational Programs at Liberty Fund, Indianapolis, USA.
Bibliographic Information
Book Title: The Realist Turn
Book Subtitle: Repositioning Liberalism
Authors: Douglas B. Rasmussen, Douglas J. Den Uyl
Series Title: Palgrave Studies in Classical Liberalism
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-48435-4
Publisher: Palgrave Macmillan Cham
eBook Packages: Religion and Philosophy, Philosophy and Religion (R0)
Copyright Information: The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2020
Hardcover ISBN: 978-3-030-48434-7Published: 06 August 2020
Softcover ISBN: 978-3-030-48437-8Published: 07 August 2021
eBook ISBN: 978-3-030-48435-4Published: 05 August 2020
Series ISSN: 2662-6470
Series E-ISSN: 2662-6489
Edition Number: 1
Number of Pages: XVII, 274
Number of Illustrations: 1 b/w illustrations
Topics: Epistemology, Political Theory, Ethics, Political Philosophy