The Center for Global Ethics and Politics is a network for research, colloquia, and curricular development on key issues of contemporary life at the CUNY Graduate Center. We at the Center for Global Ethics and Politics are looking forward to engaging with you at our events throughout the spring. Our schedule this semester includes talks by three exciting scholars – mark your calendars now.

*   Robert Talisse, Vanderbilt University, “Epistemic Democracy for the Real World”; Tuesday, March 3 @ 2pm, Room 5318.05, CUNY Graduate Center

*   Nadia Urbinati, Columbia University, “On the Meaning of the ‘Crisis of Democracy'”; Thursday March 12 @ 4:30 pm, Room C202, CUNY Graduate Center

*   Brooke Ackerly, Vanderbilt University, “The Intersection of Global Economic, Environmental, and Gender Justice”; Tuesday April 28 @ 4:30 pm, CUNY Graduate Center

Robert Basil Talisse (Vanderbilt University), “Epistemic Democracy for the Real World”

Abstract
Current democratic theory is dominated by the deliberative idea that in order to produce legitimate collective decisions, democratic voting procedures must be accompanied by opportunities for public political deliberation. It is difficult to make sense of the idea of public deliberation without incorporating epistemic notions. Consequently, current democratic theories tend to be, to some degree, epistemic. But the very idea of epistemic democracy seems troubled, calling to mind the anti-democratic idea that only wisdom confers political legitimacy. This paper explores the problem of locating the epistemic dimension of political legitimacy, proposing the view that our first-personal epistemic aims provide individuals distinctive and powerful reasons to embrace democracy.

We hope you will be able to join us throughout the spring.

In addition, remember that you can always visit our iTunesU page, containing audio from our past events dating back to 2011. Subscribe to ensure you receive future recordings as soon as they are posted. You can also find video of past events at our website and on our YouTube channel.

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