From Scepticism to Liberalism? Bernard Williams, the Foundations of Liberalism and Political Realism

TY - JOUR

T1 - From Scepticism to Liberalism?

T2 - Bernard Williams, the Foundations of Liberalism and Political Realism

AU - Sagar, P

PY - 2016/6/1

Y1 - 2016/6/1

N2 - Bernard Williams was an ethical sceptic, but he was also a proponent of liberalism. To what extent can one finally be both? This article explores this question through a particular emphasis on Williams, but seeks to draw wider lessons regarding what ethical scepticism should and should not amount to. It shows how ethical scepticism can be reconciled with a commitment to what Williams, following Judith Shklar, called ’the liberalism of fear’, which is revealed as an ecumenical outlook for different stripes of ethical sceptic. The article concludes by drawing some lessons for the recent ’realist’ turn in political theory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AB - Bernard Williams was an ethical sceptic, but he was also a proponent of liberalism. To what extent can one finally be both? This article explores this question through a particular emphasis on Williams, but seeks to draw wider lessons regarding what ethical scepticism should and should not amount to. It shows how ethical scepticism can be reconciled with a commitment to what Williams, following Judith Shklar, called ’the liberalism of fear’, which is revealed as an ecumenical outlook for different stripes of ethical sceptic. The article concludes by drawing some lessons for the recent ’realist’ turn in political theory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

U2 - 10.1111/1467-9248.12173

DO - 10.1111/1467-9248.12173

M3 - Article

SN - 0032-3217

VL - 64

SP - 368

EP - 384

JO - POLITICAL STUDIES

JF - POLITICAL STUDIES

IS - 2

ER -