Public Reason in the Universe of Reasons

23 Pages Posted: 31 Oct 2015

See all articles by Wojciech Sadurski

Wojciech Sadurski

The University of Sydney - Faculty of Law

Date Written: October 29, 2015

Abstract

What sort of “reason” or “reasons” figure in the concept of “Public Reason”? While the scholarly discussion about “Public Reason” has focused mainly on questions related to the “Public” aspect of it, this paper addresses the noun in the concept “Public Reason”. It locates Public Reason in the conceptual landscape informed by various theories of reasons for action developed by Bernard Williams, Gilbert Harman, Joseph Raz, Thomas Nagel and John Rawls among others. It enquires into the lessons that a plausible conception of Public Reason can draw from a theory of “internal” reasons, exclusionary reasons, neutral reasons, reasons for action in public life – as opposed to reasons for private life – and reasons advanced in a general discussion as contrasted to reasons figuring in the advocacy for a new law.

Keywords: Public Reason, Exclusionary Reasons, Joseph Raz, Bernard Williams, Gilbert Harman, John Rawls, Liberalism

JEL Classification: K10, K30

Suggested Citation

Sadurski, Wojciech, Public Reason in the Universe of Reasons (October 29, 2015). Sydney Law School Research Paper No. 15/95, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=2683658 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.2683658

Wojciech Sadurski (Contact Author)

The University of Sydney - Faculty of Law ( email )

New Law Building, F10
The University of Sydney
Sydney, NSW 2006
Australia

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