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Philosophize This! · August 18, 2024 · 35m
Episode #207 — Fear Is Toxic to a Democracy (Martha Nussbaum)
Martha Nussbaum's capabilities approach and why fear-driven politics erodes democracy. Nussbaum argues that emotions are cognitive judgments, not irrational impulses — and fear specifically narrows the scope of what we're willing to consider.
This summary was generated from show notes and public descriptions, not from a full transcript review. Details may contain inaccuracies.
Canon
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West: Nussbaum rejects the Stoic claim that emotions should be suppressed but accepts the Stoic insight that emotions involve judgments you can examine and modify. Fear contains the judgment 'this is dangerous' — which may be wrong.
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Nussbaum via West: democracies fail when citizens stop seeing each other as fellow humans deserving respect. Political friendship — not agreement, but mutual recognition — is the relationship that sustains democracy.
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