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Let's Be Reasonable
A Conservative Case for Liberal Education
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Check link for latest rating. ( 46 ratings, 12 reviews)
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Let's Be Reasonable
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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?
This book is ideal for readers interested in education, political theory, and current debates surrounding higher education, especially those curious about conservative perspectives on liberal education. It appeals to academics, students, and anyone invested in the role of universities in fostering democratic reasoning and dialogue.
A conservative college professor's compelling defense of liberal educationNot so long ago, conservative intellectuals such as William F. Buckley Jr. believed universities were worth fighting for. Today, conservatives seem more inclined to burn them down. In Let's Be Reasonable, conservative political theorist and professor Jonathan Marks finds
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Description
A conservative college professor's compelling defence of liberal education.
Not so long ago, conservative intellectuals such as William F. Buckley Jr. believed universities were worth fighting for. Today, conservatives seem more inclined to burn them down. In Let's Be Reasonable, conservative political theorist and professor Jonathan Marks finds in liberal education an antidote to this despair, arguing that the true purpose of college is to encourage people to be reasonable—and revealing why the health of our democracy is at stake.
Drawing on the ideas of John Locke and other thinkers, Marks presents the case for why, now more than ever, conservatives must not give up on higher education. He recognises that professors and administrators frequently adopt the language and priorities of the left, but he explains why conservative nightmare visions of liberal persecution and indoctrination bear little resemblance to what actually goes on in college classrooms.
Marks examines why advocates for liberal education struggle to offer a coherent defence of themselves against their conservative critics, and demonstrates why such a defence must rest on the cultivation of reason and of pride in being reasonable.
More than just a campus battlefield guide, Let's Be Reasonable recovers what is truly liberal about liberal education—the ability to reason for oneself and with others—and shows why the liberally educated person considers reason to be more than just a tool for scoring political points.
Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?
Praised as "One of The Wall Street Journal's Best of the February Bookshelf," the book is described as "an engaging apologia for liberal education" that blends humour with strong argumentation (John J. Miller, Wall Street Journal). Andrew Pessin in Commentary highlights Marks as the professor "we all wish we had," noting the book's superb, accessible style and timely message. Damon Linker of The Week appreciates the book's call to engage opponents through reason rather than exclusion. Kirkus Reviews finds it "a thoughtful contribution to debates about the value of higher education."
Book Details
INFORMATION
ISBN: 9780691207728
Publisher: Princeton University Press
Format: Paperback / softback
Date Published: 31 January 2023
Country: United States
Imprint: Princeton University Press
Audience: General / adult, Tertiary education, Professional and scholarly
DIMENSIONS
Width: 140.0mm
Height: 216.0mm
Weight: 250g
Pages: 248
About the Author
Jonathan Marks is professor of politics at Ursinus College and a blogger for Commentary magazine. He is the author of Perfection and Disharmony in the Thought of Jean-Jacques Rousseau and has written on higher education for the Chronicle of Higher Education, the Wall Street Journal, and the Weekly Standard. He lives in Collegeville, Pennsylvania. Twitter @marksjo1
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