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Description of  Wittgenstein and Democratic Politics: Language, Dialogue and Political Forms of Life (Routledge Studies in Twentieth-Century Philosophy)

103277889X rar This volume demonstrates how Wittgensteins philosophy can illuminate our understanding of politics and open new ways of conceptualizing democratic theory and practice. Its focus is on language, reason and communication as central to identifying present confusions in our understanding of democracy. The book seeks to engage Wittgensteins philosophical insights, aiming to go beyond the dichotomous oppositions and conceptual entanglements pervading existing frameworks of social and political theories of democracy. Its key topic is the irreplaceable role of dialogue in civic democratic engagement as a condition for the understanding of self and others and, hence, for political life in which reason has a role. Indeed, it presents concrete examples of how Wittgenstein can be constructively applied to current political discourse. Part I of the volume focuses on the general idea of applying Wittgensteins philosophy to political and democratic theory and explains the deep and intrinsic relation between Wittgensteins thought and politics. Part II discusses Wittgensteins concrete concepts as illuminating for understanding selected aspects of democratic politics. Part III deals with a possible exchange between Wittgenstein and other political thinkers, especially Hannah Arendt. Read more