Democracy and authenticity : toward a theory of public justification / Howard H. Schweber.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Introduction: consensus liberalism and the challenge of pluralism -- Three versions of the case for constraint: Audi, Rawls, and Larmore -- Subjective standards and the problem of deliberative perfectionism -- Liberalism and the problem of authenticity -- Further reflections on authenticity -- The scope of constraint -- Arguments from consequences: pluralism and the role of culture -- Further arguments from consequences: agonistic democracy and republican virtue -- Fairness as equality -- Fairness as recognition -- The argument from epistemology: claims of equivalence -- Empiricism and public justification -- Toward a theory of public justification.

"Democracy and Authenticity examines a basic problem for liberal democracies. In a polity that is characterized by real diversity of identities and values, what kinds of justifications are appropriate for coercive government actions? In particular, this book argues that justifications that are based on particular religious or other doctrines that are not accessible to nonadherents cannot be a proper basis for government actions that affect everyone. Instead, the book develops a model of public justification that is intended to guide citizens in a liberal democracy through the work of creating a politics that satisfies their responsiblities to one another"--Provided by publisher.