Toleration, Respect, and the Cultural Defense
in How Groups Matter?, M. Bessone at al (eds), Routledge, 2013
20 Pages Posted: 12 Nov 2013
Date Written: September 1, 2013
Abstract
This paper contributes to establishing the scope for toleration in a liberal, multicultural democracy. It builds on a specific interpretation of respect (opacity respect: OR) and addresses a specific practice of toleration (the cultural defense: CD). To treat a person with respect entails considering her responsible for her beliefs and actions, and OR commands that this treatment be extended to all persons equally, without making it dependent on the judgment of their actual agential capacities. However, treatment in accordance with the assessment of such capacities is required by the CD. Can OR be used to deny the CD?
Keywords: Toleration, respect, cultural defense, responsibility
Suggested Citation: Suggested Citation