<p>Subject - Philosophy The mature thought of the political philosopher, Isaiah Berlin, is shot through with reflections on central human values and on humanness. But how does Berlin know they are central? And that the traits and limits of humanness are as he believes them to be? These questions are explored in this short, and accessible analysis. Considering insights of many kinds - political, metaphysical, and religious - a reading of Berlin's views is given which is surprising but shows them to be compelling, defensible, and of continuing importance. This book argues for an interpretation of Berlin's views that will interest students of politics, philosophy and religions, in particular Buddhism, Christianity and Judaism, although Berlin had no religious, confessional, beliefs as such.</p>

Human Nature And Human Values: Interpreting Isaiah Berlin

Politics & Social Sciences

COLES, Norman

Philosophy

Egerton House Pub

<p><div>Norman Coles presents arguments which show that the Fugitive Slave Clause has at least two (and possibly three) meanings. Stewart's arguments are about Constitutional principles, not the practical consequences of believing the Clause was law. Stewart's reasoning is penetrating; arguments relating to ambiguity and legal jargon are superseded by the logical consequence of the fact that if the Clause is about fugitive slaves, its legality rests on false assumptions. Herein lay the potential to avoid a historical tragedy. In the course of time legal and political champions, in conjunction with a growing number of US States, favoured laws which barred slave-hunting, but in the interim legal inadequacy resulted in the unnecessary continuation of slave-holding. This publication is a fundamental reconsideration of the intertwining of American History and American Constitutional Law.</div></p>

The US Constitution of 1791 and the Fugitive Slave Clause: A Philosophical Re-rendering of Legislative Authority: Ambiguities and Conflicts

History

Americas

Liverpool University Press

Critical political debate requires respect for principles of logic, rationality, and reasonableness, as well as shared conceptions of evidence and relevance in the political arena. In this book, author Norman Coles presents case studies which demonstrate the inherent dangers of not applying principles of reasoning to the interpretation of political events. Relevance and the adequacy of evidence are too often overlooked in favor of rhetoric and moral platitude, sometimes leading to deceit and always to ambiguity, to the detriment of democratic society. Coles investigates: the US Bill of Rights in the context of natural justice and the 'right' of citizens to hold arms; President Andrew Johnson's policies towards the 'Secessionist' states with respect to his understanding of the causes of the civil war and the human worth of the emancipated slaves; Whittaker Chambers' accusation against Alger Hiss, a former high-ranking State Department employee, and the Communist sympathies and connections this event brought in its wake; and the confused President George W. Bush "war on terror" political discourse, and its implications for Executive power, especially for the conduct of the office of Vice-President. All of us involved as we are in the polity have a duty to determine the truth of major, albeit confusing, political events. The author calls this a "War by Night" to indicate how hard it is to interpret these events with minimal accuracy when those who initiate political action may conceal, distort, or deny. This book is written in the tradition of applied philosophy, it provides clear arguments of modern political relevance in order to throw light on major political events and promote critical debate in the political arena.

Interpreting Political Events in the United States: Critical Debate and Representative Democracy - A Viewpoint on the US Bill of Rights, President ... Case, and George W Bush's "War on Terror"

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