In this essay I show both why, according to Kant’s Doctrine of Right, there is an obligation to join the state and, at the same time, there cannot be a right to resist it, being these claims two sides of the same coin... more abstractIn this essay I show both why, according to Kant’s Doctrine of Right, there is an obligation to join the state and, at the same time, there cannot be a right to resist it, being these claims two sides of the same coin. Indeed, they rely on the idea of state as rightful condition, namely, a society subject to distribute justice, required by the innate right to external freedom. Then I proceed by challenging some criticisms that have arisen around Kant’s position on revolution: I argue that the prohibition of rebellion makes no exception but a form of passive resistance is allowed within the framework, in a way that preserves moral autonomy.

Political Philosophy, Ethics, Philosophy Of Law, Immanuel Kant, and Theory of the State

In this presentation, I comment on Julian Reiss’ explanation paradox, a set three jointly contradictory sentences that the author regards to be true: a) economic models are false; b) economic models are nevertheless e... more abstractIn this presentation, I comment on Julian Reiss’ explanation paradox, a set three jointly contradictory sentences that the author regards to be true: a) economic models are false; b) economic models are nevertheless explanatory; c) only true accounts can explain. I argue that Reiss’ approach has one main flaw: he analyses abstract models in isolation, failing to grasp the epistemic value of models and misrepresenting the way economists use models in the scientific practice. I take into account recent contributions by Ylikoski&Adynonat and Rodrik who endorse a “cluster view of models”: models make sense in a family of related models that provide competing explanation to the task at hand. The variety of models, which often suggest conflicting rather than univocal answers, is a key feature of economics; economic models are valuable to the extent that they expand the set of plausible explanations for a variety of social phenomena.

Philosophy of Science, Philosophy Of Economics, and Explanation