Philosophy Bites · Edmonds and Warburton

Robert Talisse on Civic Solitude

July 30, 2025·18 min·1 clip

Robert Talisse argues that collective public democratic action can actually obstruct our ability to understand one another.

Robert Talisse discusses the concept of civic solitude, arguing that democracy requires not only collective action but also solitary reflection to counteract group polarization and partisan toxicity. He explains how practices like reading historical political thinkers can help citizens understand each other better and sustain democratic health.

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