A good politician, a good barre parliament, is kind of a philosopher in action. It's trying to think around the corners of how different interests get traded off. The idea that somehow the electorate is stupid or doesn't notice when people chop off an argument,. don't listen to the other side, as it were, misrepresent what's being said are deranged.
Philosopher Julian Baggini shares the insights of his new book How to Think Like a Philosopher: Essential Principles for Clearer Thinking. In conversation with government minister Jesse Norman, who was himself once an academic philosopher, Baggini set out the techniques, methods and principles that guide philosophy, and show how they can be applied to our own lives – and our politics. Using precepts such as: pay attention, question everything, follow the facts, and think for yourself but not by yourself, Baggini shows how clearer thinking can help us meet the challenges of our troubled times.
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