Political Epistemology - An Introduction

The New Scientist recently declared that "Philosophers of knowledge, your time has come" and even Barack Obama has warned of an "epistemological crisis." Following the election of Donald Trump for the second time, the rise of populism, and the proliferation of misinformation and conspiracy theories, epistemological questions are now forefront in our political lives. Can epistemology explain the challenges of "post-truth"? Does voter ignorance threaten democracy? Is political disagreement epistemically valuable or harmful?This extremely timely introduction to political epistemology tackles these questions and many more. In a clear and engaging style, Michael Hannon and Elise Woodard examine the following key topics: the relation between truth and politics, including the arguments of Plato, Mill and Rawls; the epistemology of democracy, including questions about how democracies must be fair and representative and also make good decisions; how political ignorance may undermine democracy; irrationality and partisan bias; political belief and group loyalty; political disagreement and polarization; and the potential conflict between democracy and expert authority.With the inclusion of chapter summaries and further reading, Political Epistemology: An Introduction is the ideal starting place for anyone studying this fascinating and rapidly growing topic, whether in epistemology, political philosophy, or applied ethics. It will also be of interest to students and researchers in related fields, such as political science, law, and public policy.

Product details

• Authors: Michael Hannon, Michael (University of Nottingham Hannon, Elise Woodard
• Publisher: Taylor & Francis Ltd.
• Languages: English
• Product format: Hardback
• Released: 08.05.2025
• EAN: 9780367544911
• ISBN: 978-0-367-54491-1
• No. of pages: 362
• Subjects: Humanities, art, music > Philosophy > General, dictionaries; Non-fiction book > Philosophy, religion > Philosophy: general, reference works; Social sciences, law, business > Political science > Political science and political education; PHILOSOPHY / General, Social & political philosophy, Political science & theory, Ethics & moral philosophy, social and political philosophy, Ethics and moral philosophy, Political campaigning & advertising, Political science and theory, Political campaigning and advertising, Philosophy: epistemology & theory of knowledge, Philosophy: epistemology and theory of knowledge