Elena Irrera

Università di Bologna, Department of Political and Social Sciences, University of Bologna, Senior Research Fellow

Università di Bologna, Dipartimento di Storia Culture Civiltà, Department Member

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Papers by Elena Irrera

Developing a Sense of Justice

ΠΗΓΗ/FONS

In this paper I offer a conceptual characterization of the idea of a “sense of justice” as a suit... more In this paper I offer a conceptual characterization of the idea of a “sense of justice” as a suitable motivational basis for respect for the principles of justice in force in a given society, and argue that a similar concern can be found not only in John Rawls, who expressely talks about that notion, but also in Aristotle. My main contention is that both thinkers invite readers to conceive of the sense of justice as an attitude admitting of various degrees, ranging from a fear-inspired respect for the law up to an unconditional appreciation of the established constitutional principles and the laws stemming fom such principles. In the first part of this paper, I will address Aristotle’s view of a natural capacity of human beings for sociability, political participation and functional interdependence within the city culminating in a virtue-based political friendship. In the second part I will contend that, in Rawls’ view, the individual sense of justice is at work not only after the e...

format_quoteIn a just society, individuals are motivated to comply with established rules due to a strong desire aligned with the principles of justice.format_quote

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$Research paper thumbnail of Sicurezza Alimentare tra nutrizione e diversit\ue0 culturale. Il problema dell'adeguatezza del cibo$

Sicurezza Alimentare tra nutrizione e diversit\ue0 culturale. Il problema dell'adeguatezza del cibo

Il presente lavoro propone una ricerca di natura interdisciplinare, condotta da una dietista e un... more Il presente lavoro propone una ricerca di natura interdisciplinare, condotta da una dietista e una ricercatrice in filosofia politica, relativamente a questioni di sicurezza alimentare e di conciliazione di valori che possono essere sollevate nelle societ\ue0 multiculturali. Per \u201csicurezza alimentare\u201d si intende la possibilit\ue0 di accesso fisico, economico e sociale di ogni individuo, in ogni momento, a una quantit\ue0 sufficiente di cibo sicuro e nutriente, che soddisfi i suoi fabbisogni nutrizionali e le sue preferenze alimentari, per una vita attiva e in salute . Nella prima parte dell\u2019indagine le autrici offriranno una riflessione volta ad approfondire il concetto sopra menzionato, che attinga alla questione dei valori che motivano e strutturano l\u2019adesione da parte di determinati individui a specifiche pratiche alimentari. In particolar modo, verranno esaminate alcune situazioni i cui protagonisti sono soggetti minoritari che sperimentano uno sradicamento d...

Amistad, ēthos e igualdad en la discusión aristotélica de las politeiai democráticas

Araucaria

Este artículo analiza el papel que tiene la atención hacia el ēthos de los ciudadanos en la creac... more Este artículo analiza el papel que tiene la atención hacia el ēthos de los ciudadanos en la creación y la conservación de los regímenes políticos por parte de una actividad legislativa virtuosa, haciendo especial hincapié en las formas de gobierno democráticas. Para desarrollar esta idea, me centraré en la idea de la “amistad política” (hē politikē philia), que Aristóteles examina en sus obras éticas en relación con la facultad de la actividad legislativa virtuosa de moldear los hábitos (individuales y relacionales) de los ciudadanos. El análisis de los diferentes tipos de regímenes democráticos mostrará que ellos carecen de una auténtica amistad política. Demostaré también que, aunque las medidas democráticas puedan mejorar y conservar los regímenes imperfectos, Aristóteles sigue manteniendo una opinión negativa hacia esas politeiai. Palabras-clave: régimen, democracia, amistad, ēthos, igualdad.

Respect as an Object of Equal Distribution? Opacity, Individual Recognition and Second-Personal Authority

New Perspectives on Distributive Justice, 2018

In this paper I pursue the possibility of addressing respect not only in terms of a theoretical s... more In this paper I pursue the possibility of addressing respect not only in terms of a theoretical support for the articulation of distributive policies, but also and especially as an object itself of equal distribution. I work out a specific model of \u201crespectful treatment\u201d of minority subjects which, if displayed by institutions and their representatives, may prove well-suited to (i) handle claims of recognition related to certain aspects of the identity of those who are issuing the request (e. g. linguistic, ethnic, religious, cultural); (ii) acknowledge the moral authority of the subjects who have advanced such claims. With a view to this, I critically engage with two normative models of equal respect for people: (1) Carter\u2019s idea of \u201copacity respect\u201d, which is premised on the idea that respecting people requires treating them as endowed with a minimum threshold of empirical agential capacities; (2) Galeotti\u2019s paradigm of equal respect as an individualising act of recognition

Recensione a Eugene Garver, Confronting Aristotle’s Ethics. Ancient and Modern Morality, «Il pensiero politico», 2007(40), pp. 571-573

Nel suo Confronting Aristotle\u2019s Ethics Garver si propone di analizzare le complesse dinamich... more Nel suo Confronting Aristotle\u2019s Ethics Garver si propone di analizzare le complesse dinamiche che animano il rapporto tra vita della polis e virt\uf9 morale, individuando nell\u2019identificazione tra essere buoni ( being good ) e compiere il bene ( doing good ) il centro focale della filosofia morale di Aristotele. L\u2019idea alla base del lucido percorso argomentativo tracciato nel libro \ue8 quella secondo cui l\u2019agire morale debba essere visto come una forma di attualizzazione ( energeia ) a doppio senso: da un lato, come realizzazione di un processo finalizzato ad un\u2019azione singola e situata in uno specifico contesto spazio-temporale; dall\u2019altro, come completamento di una serie di potenzialit\ue0 che permettono all\u2019anima umana di raggiungere uno stato virtuoso, sia esso etico o intellettuale. Tale teoria, chiamata da Garver \u201dthe double ends theory\u201d, consente allo studioso di Aristotele di intravedere all\u2019interno di una singola azione due differenti forme di finalit\ue0: una esterna, corrispondente all\u2019agire concreto e dettato da specifiche, contingenti necessit\ue0, e una interna, riguardante la motivazione propria dell\u2019agente virtuoso, che porta a valutare l\u2019agire stesso come dotato di valore intrinseco

Immagini dell’inclusione e dell’esclusione nel pensiero politico di Aristotele

Carabba eBooks, 2018

Solidarity as a deontological principle? A procedural proposal

Love of Beauty in Aristotle's Politics. The case of Ostracism

In this paper I examine love of beauty (φιλοκαλία) in Aristotle's thought, and suggest that h... more In this paper I examine love of beauty (φιλοκαλία) in Aristotle's thought, and suggest that he treats it as an emotion (πάθος) able to develop and strengthen good moral habits. I propose that Aristotle appeals to the love of beauty of some of his addressees – namely, those who are particularly sensitive to the "aesthetic" aspect of politics – to persuade them about the appropriateness of political measures which, if taken at a face value, might not appear ethically sound. After a preliminary discussion of the power of emotions to shape virtuous conditions of the soul, I briefly address the issue of the main properties of beauty: order, proportion and definiteness. Finally, I introduce the issue of ostracism discussed in Book III of the <em>Politics</em> and present it as a paradigmatic case of a political procedure which can be justified on grounds not only of common utility, but also of beauty.

A Eulogy of the Written Dialogue? – Education, Beauty, and Progression in Plato’s Symposium

Norsk filosofisk tidsskrift, 2013

This paper contends that Plato\u2019s Symposium makes a powerful contribution to an understanding... more This paper contends that Plato\u2019s Symposium makes a powerful contribution to an understanding of the aims, methods and the value of the dialogue form, the latter being conceived as an \u201cart of philosophical writing\u201d. Through analysis of the first three eulogies of Eros reported in the Symposium, I shall argue that Plato aims to establish a dialogue with his readers by inviting them to grasp the theoretical and practical import of the ideals of beauty, education and philo- sophical progression. I will show in what ways many of the qualities attached to Eros may be referred to the philosophical writing itself

A Praise of the Philosophical Written Speech? Ethics and Philosophical Progression in Plato’s Symposium

Philosophy as Drama, 2019

In this chapter I will focus on some relevant aspects of the first three encomiastic speeches on ... more In this chapter I will focus on some relevant aspects of the first three encomiastic speeches on Love produced by Plato in the Symposium and show how each of them, followed by the two speeches uttered respectively by the poets Aristophanes and Agathon, pave the way for the content of Socrates\u2019 account of Eros, i.e. a speech inclusive of Diotima\u2019s revelations. I will propose that the picture of er\uf4s which takes shape throughout the whole dialogue (a) is inextricably linked to the concept of \u2018progression\u2019, both ethical and intellectual, towards the forms of beauty and goodness; (b) presents features which can be attributed also to the literary form adopted by Plato. The Symposium, in other words, would represent a paradigmatic case of a dialogue in which arguments, although prima facie unrelated to the issue of philosophical writing, offer significant clues about the nature and philosophical import of written speeches

Perfect Friendship in the Political Realm. A Philosophical Trait-d’Union between the Nicomachean Ethics and Politics

In this chapter I explore the possibility that the Nicomachean Ethics and the Politics are parts ... more In this chapter I explore the possibility that the Nicomachean Ethics and the Politics are parts of a unitary project of investigation. I propose that Aristotle’s pivotal goal is to supply the addressees of his works with adequate theoretical understanding of both the most relevant principles for a good human life and the strategies through which these values are to be effectively realized. The project worked out by Aristotle is ultimately of political nature, given that the education of people to virtue is best carried out by means of an expertise of political kind. Then, I explore some aspects of Aristotle’s theory of friendship and propose that his notion of “political friendship” conceptualized in books 8 and 9 of the Nicomachean Ethics can be adopted as an adequate conceptual tool for an exploration of some relationships between the Nicomachean Ethics and the Politics. Although political friendship is mostly based on utility, the best possible realization of such an ideal is pa...

Tolleranze a confronto: visioni contemporanee e la «Contro Midia» di Demostene

One of the key issues revolving around the value of toleration is that of its limits, i.e. that o... more One of the key issues revolving around the value of toleration is that of its limits, i.e. that of the boundaries beyond which the reasons to practise it lose their ground of accountability. In this paper I will try to restate an ancient paradigm of toleration and its limits by teasing out the principles that inform the acceptance of morally reproachable attitudes. By focusing on Demosthenes\u2019 oration Against Meidias, I shall argue that the \u201cpublic reason\u201d to which the author resorts throughout his discussion is a substantive one, grounded in the values of honour and in the avoidance of hybris. I will also suggest that the limit of toleration is reached when the whole political community, the laws and the gods are damaged by acts of insolence. Finally, I will contend that, besides their differences, ancient and contemporary approaches to toleration betray a shared endorsement of the idea of \u201crespectability\u201d

Striving for Contemplation. True Politicians vs Good Politicians in Aristotle's Philosophy

Elenchos, 2010

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Human Interaction in the State of Nature: Hobbes on Respect for Persons and Self-Respect

The Roots of Respect, 2017

In this chapter I shall attempt to identity different forms of respect in Hobbes\u2019 state of n... more In this chapter I shall attempt to identity different forms of respect in Hobbes\u2019 state of nature, by way of an identification and critical engagement with some of the key notions which, as I believe, inform his views of the mechanism of human interaction: power, recognition, honor, esteem and fear. My general contention is that the philosophical issues of respect for persons and self-respect offer a lens through which Hobbes can: (1) describe some features of the state of nature and the aspects which elicit a transition from such a state to the creation of a commonwealth; (b) some prescriptive indications on how human beings ought to behave towards each other with a view to a condition of peace and security. I will identify four kinds of respect: esteem, honor, an equal respect based on fear and one grounded in recognition of each other\u2019s legitimate needs and interests

The Roots of Respect

Despite the increasing concern for the issue of respect for persons displayed over the last decad... more Despite the increasing concern for the issue of respect for persons displayed over the last decades by political philosophers, human-right thinkers, social and ethical theorists, a comprehensive treatment of the problem at stake from a historical-philosophical perspective is conspicuously absent. The present collection of essays aims to contribute to the fulfillment of this gap by offering a reconstruction of the seminal passages in the history of philosophy which testify to the evolution of the idea of respect for persons and the rich array of conceptual specifications that such an idea acquires across the centuries. By analysis of pivotal texts of ancient and modern contemporary philosophy, the volume will try to offer an articulated account of respect which, starting from its primeval connection with the search for esteem and the pursuit of human excellence, gradually evolves towards the recognition of the political status of each citizen and culminates into a true politics of human rights. Bringing together the expertise of classicists and scholars specialized in modern and contemporary philosophy, the volume is especially intended for scholars working in the fields of the history of philosophy, ethical and political theory

The Notion of Respect in Ancient Greek Poetry

The Roots of Respect, 2017

This essaycontends that the idea of respect for persons finds its roots in the culturea nd histor... more This essaycontends that the idea of respect for persons finds its roots in the culturea nd history of Archaic Greece. Is uggest that the idea of respect retains an aristocratic flavor, even when the historic-political evolutions leading to the creation of Greek democracy appear to sett he basisf or equalityo ft reatment before the law(isonomia). Iinitiallyexamine the notion of aidôs in Homer's poems, and suggest that this can be viewed as an embryonic form of self-respect nurtured (or threatened)b yexternal observers. Then, Iproceed to examine how the idea of respect for persons in Solon betraysadherencetoaform of respect as honor,i.e., one that is foundedonrecognition of status. Subsequently,Iexamine some of Theognis' poems and show that equal recognition is premised on possession of outstanding moral excellence. Finally, lack of excellence and capacity for righteous behavior spark institutional responses such as the inflictionofatimia.

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Cicero on Different Kinds of Respect for Persons. A ‘Darwallian’ Approach

The present paper will investigate the notion of "respect" and its plurality of expressions in th... more The present paper will investigate the notion of "respect" and its plurality of expressions in the work of Cicero. Such an investigation will be conducted by way of a reading of selected passages from his De Republica, De Legibus and De Officiis. With a view to this, I shall make use of the conceptual taxonomy of respect worked out by a contemporary political philosopher, Stephen Darwall. In his Two Kinds of Respect, 1977, and The second person standpoint, 2006, he draws a distinction between four different kinds of respect: (1) what he calls "appraisal respect", that is, a relational attitude grounded on the recognition of a supposed ethical or intellectual excellence of the respected subject ; (2) a form called "respect as honour", that is, an asymmetrical attitude based on the acceptation of a privileged role or social position held by the respected subject and, therefore, an attitude grounded on the recognition of the latter's authority to claim such a kind of treatment; (3) respect for "epistemic authority", which has as its basis a kind of recognition of the technical expertise of the respected subject relative to a given field of knowledge; (4) respect as "second-personal reciprocal recognition". Such a kind of respectprobably the most relevant one from a political point of view-is grounded on the recognition of the moral authority of each and every member of the poltical community. By applying Darwall's conceptual models of respect to the analysis of Cicero's works, I shall attempt to show that the all four kinds of respect mentioned above make their appearance in Cicero's works, and that each of them, instead of subsisting separately from the other kinds, is forged by the intersection with at least one of the others.

format_quoteCicero promotes a type of respect that encourages virtue and social cohesion, linking respect for individuals with ethical improvement.format_quote

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Tra realtà e utopia. Buon governante, buon cittadino e città ideale in Aristotele

Societa Degli Individui, 2006

The Normative Significance of Aristocratic Constitutions in Aristotle’s Politics

ΠΗΓΗ/FONS, 2016

This paper contends that, despite evidences, Aristotle’s view of aristocratic constitutions displ... more This paper contends that, despite evidences, Aristotle’s view of aristocratic constitutions displays a heavily marked normative content. I argue that his understanding of aristocracy may be separated into four main strands: (i) an ideal type, based on the rotation of power of virtuous people over equally virtuous citizens (as evinced from a joint reading of Books III and IV); (ii) a type grounded on a fine blending of social classes, as emerging from a reading of Pol. IV, 7.1293b7-18 in the light of Politics IV,3.1290a24-29; (iii) a polity inclining toward oligarchy, which seems to lack any normative worth; (iv) an ‘aristocratic polity’, grounded on the political role of the middle class (Book IV.11). I shall propose that, in non-ideal conditions, type (iv) is the constitution which best accommodates (a) the need for stability and concord, (b) the search for an ideal of structural harmony and proportion among rulers and citizens.

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Joachim Aufderheide and Ralf M. Bader (eds.): The Highest Good in Aristotle and Kant

Ethical Theory and Moral Practice, 2015

This collection of essays seeks to examine the notion of the highest good by pursuing two differe... more This collection of essays seeks to examine the notion of the highest good by pursuing two different, although deeply related, sets of philosophical concerns. On the one hand, it aims to shed light on the theoretical role that the highest good plays respectively in Aristotle\u2019s and in Kant\u2019s value theories, especially with regard to the idea that the good in question may represent a source or condition of the goodness of other goods. On the other, it aims to bring to light relevant similarities between Aristotle\u2019s and Kant\u2019s formulations of the problem of the highest good, in line with studies that have paved the way towards a reconciliation of their theories (see, e.g., Engstrom and Whiting 1996)

Elena Irrera

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