Autonomy Gaps: Joel Anderson in Dialogue

ISBN-13: 9781780933122 / Angielski / Miękka / 2017 / 176 str.

Joel Anderson

Opis

Individuals in modern societies are frequently overwhelmed by choice, from employers, government agencies, utility providers, doctors and financial services. Joel Anderson argues that there is a tendency to misdiagnose the problem as 'too much complexity' or the 'inherent irrationality' of individuals. He outlines the idea of 'autonomy gaps' as an alternative frame of analysis, referring to the gap between the capacities for choice that are presupposed by various institutions or public policies, and the capacity that individuals actually have to make rational choices.

This more dynamic understanding of a key social predicament of modern life requires reconfiguring our understanding of autonomy, clarifying the normative grounds for criticizing autonomy gaps and identifying a range of strategies for closing autonomy gaps or ameliorating their effects.

Joel Anderson's new concept of critical social theory is discussed by interlocutors including Amy Allen, Rutger Claassen, Peter John, Catriona MacKenzie, Barry Schwartz, Mark White, Jackie Leach Scully and John Christman, closing with a response from Anderson.

Spis treści

Introduction Part One: Lead Essay Autonomy Gaps, Joel Anderson, Utrecht University, The Netherlands Part Two: Responses Response by John Christman, Pennsylvania State University, USA Response by Peter John, University College London, UK Response by Jackie Scully, University of Newcastle Upon Tyne, UK Response by Rutger Claassen, University of Leiden, The Netherlands Response by Amy Allen, Dartmouth College, USA Response by Mark D. White, City University of New York, USA Response by Catriona MacKenzie, Macquarie University, Australia Response by Barry Schwartz, Swarthmore College, USA Part Three: Reply, Joel Anderson, Utrecht University, The Netherlands Bibliography Index