Through eight articles, the special issue asks what characterizes the role of moral and political philosophers in contemporary governance and what their role ought to be. Should we see philosophers in these areas as some kind of moral experts? If so, what kind of expertise are we talking about, and does the possession of such expertise imply that moral and political philosophers, as well as moral experts more generally, can legitimately be granted a special authority in the formulation of public policy?
The special issue results from work in the project What is a Good Policy? Political Morality, Feasibility, and Democracy (GOODPOL) at the Centre for Advanced Study at the Norwegian Academy of Science and Letters (CAS).
Programme:
- 14.15 – 14.35 Welcome and introduction - Cathrine Holst (University of Oslo) and Jakob Elster (University of Oslo)
- 14.35 – 14.45: Presentation of the article “Why Ethics Commissions? Four Normative Models” - Eilev Hegstad (Oslo Metropolitan University)
- 14.45-14.55 Presentation of the article “The Role of Moral Experts in Secret Policy” - Lars Christie (Inland Norway University of Applied Sciences)
- 14.55-15.10 Comments by Trym Nohr Fjørtoft (University of Oslo)
- 15.10-15.30 Discussion
- 15.30-16.00 Reception
The event is organized in collaboration with the project Science and Democracy, hosted at IFIKK, University of Oslo and funded by UiO: Democracy.