The Philosophy of Political Beliefs – With Oliver Traldi

Anyone who’s had an argument about politics with a friend may walk away wondering how this friend could possibly hold the beliefs they do. A few self-reflective people might even wonder about their own political beliefs after such an argument. Join Oliver Traldi in conversation with Bronwyn Williams for a discussion of Oliver’s new book, Political Beliefs: A Philosophical Introduction.

“If moral and political values are fundamental, where do they come from?”
Oliver Traldi investigates the reasons that people have, and could have, for political beliefs: the evidence they might draw on, the psychological sources of their views, and the question of how we ought to form our political beliefs if we want to be rational. Topics of discussion might include:

• Which believes are political?
• What does it mean to be charitable to political opponents?
• Where do our political beliefs come from? Is it our personalities? Our social groups or identities? Ideologies? Heuristics? Do we even have political beliefs?
• Are we rational in our political beliefs?
• What is the relationship between history and political belief?

Join Oliver Traldi for a salon hosted by Bronwyn Williams and share some of your your own questions (and answers) about where our political beliefs come from, and what exactly we can do about them when they are not getting us where we want to go together.

Recommended Readings:

Read the book: Political Beliefs: A Philosophical Introduction

Changeable beliefs : How Political Opinions Change

Pick a team! The Irrationality of Political Beliefs (Oliver Traldi)

This event will be recorded.