Democratic Reason: Why the Many are Smarter than the Few and Why it Matters

Landemore, Helene E.

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Democratic Reason: Why the Many are Smarter than the Few and Why it Matters

Helene E. Landemore

Yale University

September 14, 2009

APSA 2009 Toronto Meeting Paper

Abstract:
This paper presents an argument for democracy based on the idea of collective intelligence (connecting numbers and a key ingredient of the phenomenon of collective intelligence, i.e., cognitive diversity). It also suggests different ways, positive and normative, in which this argument should matter for political scientists (particularly democratic theorists and public opinion researchers).

Number of Pages in PDF File: 28

Keywords: epistemic democracy, collective intelligence, wisdom of crowds, majority rule, deliberation, diversity, public opinion research, information

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Date posted: August 13, 2009 ; Last revised: June 3, 2011

Suggested Citation

Landemore, Helene E., Democratic Reason: Why the Many are Smarter than the Few and Why it Matters (September 14, 2009). APSA 2009 Toronto Meeting Paper. Available at SSRN: http://ssrn.com/abstract=1449594

Contact Information

Helene E. Landemore (Contact Author)

Yale University ( email )

New Haven, CT 06520
United States