On the many as one: A reply to Kornhauser and Sager

Christian List, Philip Pettit

    Research output: Contribution to journalComment/debatepeer-review

    50 Citations (Scopus)

    Abstract

    In The Many as One, Lewis A. Kornhauser and Lawrence G. Sager look at an issue that we take to be of great importance in political theory.1 To what extent should groups in public life try to speak with one voice, and act with one mind? To what extent should public groups try to display what Ronald Dworkin calls integrity?2 We do not expect the many on the market to be integrated in this sense. But should we expect integration among the many in the legislature, for example, or among the many on the courts? We agree with Kornhauser and Sager about a number of their claims but think that they miss out on important detail and do not achieve a fully general perspective on the issues raised. Our own contribution is in three sections. We address, first, the nature of the integrity challenge; second, the range of cases in which the challenge arises; and third, the question of whether public groups should be designed and required to meet that challenge.
    Original languageEnglish
    Pages (from-to)377-390
    Number of pages14
    JournalPhilosophy and Public Affairs
    Volume33
    Issue number4
    DOIs
    Publication statusPublished - Sept 2005

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