Hedrick reviews Rawls' and Habermas's political theories, taking them as the major exemplars of post-traditional or post-metaphysical political thinking, in which reason becomes "modest" and has no content of its own but merely provides the mechanism for justifying substantive content originating elsewhere.

He summarizes their theories, compares and contrasts them, describes what he sees as the most important critiques of their work, lists their supporters and detractors, picks Habermas's as the strongest conception and explains why it's not totally irrelevant, despite some initial appearances, to the way politics is conducted here and now.

This is an excellent book but it is demanding, requiring not only a familiarity with Rawls and Habermas but also a willingness to read carefully and think hard, but the effort is worth it as Hedrick situates these two seminal thinkers within the current intellectual context clearly and concisely.

This ain't casual reading, but is certainly accessible to anyone who can read and understand Habermas. ( )

Hedrick reviews Rawls' and Habermas's political theories, taking them as the major exemplars of post-traditional or post-metaphysical political thinking, in which reason becomes "modest" and has no content of its own but merely provides the mechanism for justifying substantive content originating elsewhere.

He summarizes their theories, compares and contrasts them, describes what he sees as the most important critiques of their work, lists their supporters and detractors, picks Habermas's as the strongest conception and explains why it's not totally irrelevant, despite some initial appearances, to the way politics is conducted here and now.

This is an excellent book but it is demanding, requiring not only a familiarity with Rawls and Habermas but also a willingness to read carefully and think hard, but the effort is worth it as Hedrick situates these two seminal thinkers within the current intellectual context clearly and concisely.

This ain't casual reading, but is certainly accessible to anyone who can read and understand Habermas. ( )