Abstract
This work contains five main chapters. In the first chapter, I present the bulk of my main claims. I begin by elucidating several forms of conflict management that are sometimes confused with dialogue, namely debate, negotiation, and problem-solving. Next, I explore the nature of dialogue, drawing a clear distinction between dialogue and the aforementioned methods of conflict management. I then briefly consider what it is for a political disagreement to be distinctly political, presenting a reasonable view of politics. And finally, I give the criteria for good political dialogue. Chapters two, three, and four raise several objections to the first chapter. In chapter two, I consider two varying accounts of political disagreement, namely Habermasian deliberation and Mouffian agonism. Chapter three addresses a concern from the ethics of care, which claims that some crucial dialogic qualities are out of reach for my theory. Chapter four is the relativist's objection to a theory of political dialogue, which problematizes the possibility of reaching understanding. I conclude by reviewing the objections that have been voiced throughout this work and also address two final considerations for my theory of political dialogue.
Advisor
Thomson, Garrett
Department
Philosophy
Recommended Citation
Scher, Isaac, "Political Conflict and Dialogue: Toward the Criteria for Reaching Understanding" (2018). Senior Independent Study Theses. Paper 8075.
https://openworks.wooster.edu/independentstudy/8075
Disciplines
Ethics and Political Philosophy | Peace and Conflict Studies | Politics and Social Change
Keywords
political conflict, political disagreement, dialogue, reaching understanding
Publication Date
2018
Degree Granted
Bachelor of Arts
Document Type
Senior Independent Study Thesis
© Copyright 2018 Isaac Scher