The Difficulty of Tolerance

The Difficulty of Tolerance collects T.M. Scanlon's essays on moral and political philosophy over a period of two decades. The pieces examine core questions about rights, justice, equality, and the nature of moral reasoning. Scanlon tackles major topics including freedom of expression, tolerance in multicultural societies, human rights, and the foundations of contractualism. The essays build on each other to develop a cohesive framework for understanding moral philosophy and its practical applications. In each piece, Scanlon employs clear analytical arguments while engaging with real-world examples and policy implications. His discussions span theoretical questions about moral motivation to concrete issues like hate speech laws and distributive justice. The collection demonstrates how rigorous philosophical thinking can illuminate challenging questions about how we should live together in society. Through careful moral reasoning, Scanlon maps out paths for addressing fundamental tensions between individual liberty and collective wellbeing.

Readers find the essays clear and accessible compared to other academic philosophy texts. The coverage of tolerance and freedom of expression stands out to many reviewers. Multiple readers note that the book works well for both philosophy students and general audiences interested in political theory. Likes: - Concrete examples that illustrate abstract concepts - Step-by-step breakdown of complex moral arguments - Balance between theoretical depth and practical applications Dislikes: - Some repetition between chapters - A few readers wanted more discussion of specific policy implications - Technical language in certain sections can be challenging Ratings: Goodreads: 4.0/5 (12 ratings) Amazon: 4.5/5 (6 ratings) PhilPapers: 7 citations One professor on PhilPapers called it "a model of careful philosophical analysis." A Goodreads reviewer noted it "bridges theory and real-world ethical problems." An Amazon reviewer said "explains difficult concepts without oversimplifying."

Justice as Fairness by John Rawls This foundational text examines core principles of justice, social cooperation, and fairness through a philosophical framework that builds on themes present in Scanlon's work.

The Practice of Moral Judgment by Barbara Herman The book provides a systematic examination of Kantian ethics and moral philosophy with focus on practical reasoning and moral obligations.

Moral Dimensions by Thomas Nagel This work explores the relationship between moral luck, intention, and responsibility while addressing fundamental questions about moral philosophy and ethical decision-making.

What We Owe to Each Other by T.M. Scanlon This companion work to The Difficulty of Tolerance delves deeper into contractualism and the foundations of moral motivation.

The View From Nowhere by Thomas Nagel The text investigates objectivity in ethics and the tension between personal and impersonal standpoints in moral philosophy.

🔹 T.M. Scanlon developed his influential "contractualist" moral theory, which argues that actions are right or wrong based on whether they could be justified to others through principles no one could reasonably reject. 🔹 The book's essays were written over a 20-year period and explore fundamental questions about freedom of expression, tolerance, human rights, and the foundations of moral philosophy. 🔹 Scanlon was one of John Rawls' students at Harvard and later became a professor there himself, helping to shape contemporary political philosophy alongside his mentor. 🔹 The title essay tackles the paradox of why tolerance is both morally necessary and psychologically difficult, even when we know the beliefs or practices we're tolerating don't harm us directly. 🔹 Several essays in the book challenge the traditional "harm principle" associated with John Stuart Mill, arguing that we need a more nuanced understanding of when restrictions on liberty are justified.