The Crisis of Democratic Pluralism: The Loss of Confidence in Reason and the Clash of Worldviews

Contemporary liberal democracy is facing a crisis due to the rise of incommensurable worldviews and a loss of confidence in reason. Brendan Sweetman proposes an approach to pluralist disagreement that re-envisions the relationship between religion, secularism, and politics, allowing a limited place for all worldviews in the state.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 335 pages
Publication date: 16 September 2022
Publisher: Springer Nature Switzerland AG

The book argues that contemporary liberal democracy is facing a significant crisis. Brendan Sweetman contends that this crisis arises from a contentious pluralism resulting from the absolutization of freedom over time in a democratic setting, leading to the emergence of incommensurable worldviews. This clash of worldviews is further complicated by a loss of confidence in reason and the practical failure of public discourse.

A contributory factor to this crisis is the growing worldview of secularism, which needs to be distinguished from the process of secularization and the concept of the secular state. After describing the crisis and exploring these themes, Sweetman rejects proposed solutions from recent liberal political theory and develops an approach to pluralist disagreement. This approach requires a re-envisioning of the relationship between religion, secularism, and politics, allowing for a limited place for all worldviews in the state, including religious worldviews.

Sweetman's approach is a formidable innovation in the quest to maintain a free and fair society. He engages with the work of various thinkers, including Philip Kitcher, Robert Audi, John Rawls, A.C. Grayling, Martin Luther King, Cécile Laborde, John Stuart Mill, John Locke, and Plato, to develop his ideas. Through his comprehensive analysis and thoughtful arguments, Sweetman offers a valuable contribution to the ongoing debate about the future of liberal democracy and the role of religion in a pluralistic society.

Weight: 465g
Dimension: 210 x 148 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9783030783846
Edition number: 1st ed. 2021