Michael Walzer on the Presidential Candidates
- 6 years ago
Political philosophers don't have any special insights into daily politics, Walzer says, but one candidate does stick out.
Question: How would you rate the presidential candidates?Transcript: I don't think that political philosophers have any special insight into everyday politics. As I suggested before, most political philosophers are more interested in philosophy than in politics, so that doesn't give them any handle on what's going on in the world. And my experience in the academic world is that academics are not much more intelligent about everyday issues than ordinary citizens. They are more knowledgeable; they can call up historical references, but that doesn't mean they get things right here and now.
Question: How would you rate the presidential candidates?Transcript: I don't think that political philosophers have any special insight into everyday politics. As I suggested before, most political philosophers are more interested in philosophy than in politics, so that doesn't give them any handle on what's going on in the world. And my experience in the academic world is that academics are not much more intelligent about everyday issues than ordinary citizens. They are more knowledgeable; they can call up historical references, but that doesn't mean they get things right here and now.
Question: How would you rate the presidential candidates?Transcript: I don't think that political philosophers have any special insight into everyday politics. As I suggested before, most political philosophers are more interested in philosophy than in politics, so that doesn't give them any handle on what's going on in the world. And my experience in the academic world is that academics are not much more intelligent about everyday issues than ordinary citizens. They are more knowledgeable; they can call up historical references, but that doesn't mean they get things right here and now.
Question: How would you rate the presidential candidates?Transcript: I don't think that political philosophers have any special insight into everyday politics. As I suggested before, most political philosophers are more interested in philosophy than in politics, so that doesn't give them any handle on what's going on in the world. And my experience in the academic world is that academics are not much more intelligent about everyday issues than ordinary citizens. They are more knowledgeable; they can call up historical references, but that doesn't mean they get things right here and now.