Tolerance And The Ethical Life (Continuum Studies in Philosophy)

Description

'Fiala's Tolerance and the Ethical Life is a profound study of the sources and consequences of the effort to get along with others in peace. His view that philosophy and toleration are particularly closely related is novel and important; connecting forbearance with tragically diverse communities stresses a much-neglected aspect of the subject. Written in accessible language but displaying a mastery of the history of thought, this book makes a permanent contribution to our understanding of why we must learn to live together and how difficult that is' John Lachs, Vanderbilt University In a fresh and exciting way, this book shows how tolerance connects with the practice of philosophy. Andrew Fiala examines the virtue of tolerance as it appears in several historical contexts: Socratic philosophy, Stoic philosophy, Pragmatism and Existentialism. The lesson derived is that tolerance is a virtue for what Fiala calls 'tragic communities'. Such communities are developed when we come together across our differences, but they lack the robust sense of connection that we often seek with others - the complete sort of happiness that is offered by a more Utopian ideal of community. But rather than viewing this conclusion as a failure, Fiala maintains that tragic communities are the best communities possible for human beings who are aware of their own individuality and finitude. Indeed, they are typical of the sorts of communities created by philosophers engaged in dialogue with others.