1st Edition
Is Political Authority an Illusion? A Debate
Foreword: Do Governments Have Political Authority?
Matt Zwolinski
Opening Statements
1. The Illusion of Authority
Michael Huemer
2. Rights, Respect, and Equality: The Basis of Authority
Daniel Layman
First Round of Replies
3. A Reply to Layman: On Legitimacy and Disobedience
Michael Huemer
4. A Reply to Huemer: Accountability, Methodology, and Respect
Daniel Layman
Second Round of Replies
5. A Second Reply to Layman on Authority
Michael Huemer
6. A Second Reply to Huemer on Authority
Daniel Layman
Further Readings
Glossary
Index
Biography
Michael Huemer is Professor of Philosophy at the University of Colorado at Boulder, USA. He is the author of more than 70 academic articles in ethics, epistemology, political philosophy, and metaphysics, as well as seven amazing books that you should immediately buy, including The Problem of Political Authority (2013), Dialogues on Ethical Vegetarianism (2019), and Justice Before the Law (2021).
Daniel Layman is Associate Professor of Philosophy at Davidson College, USA and specializes in political theory and the history of political thought. He is the author of numerous articles in leading journals and the book, Locke Among the Radicals: Liberty and Property in the Nineteenth Century (2020).
Matt Zwolinski is Professor of Philosophy and Director of the Center for Ethics, Economics, and Public Policy at the University of San Diego, USA.
"This is an outstanding book that I look forward to using in teaching. It is ideally suited to a political philosophy or philosophy of law class. The writing is very accessible and the arguments sharply focussed. As in any good debate, one finds oneself changing one's mind, after reading each chapter! The authors do an excellent job, and I recommend this book enthusiastically."
John Martin Fischer, University of California, Riverside
