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May 2023
1 h

66 | What's Left of Equality? Between Op...

Lillian Cicerchia, Owen Glyn-Williams, Gil Morejón, and William Paris
About this episode

In this episode, we unpack tensions between theories of equality that emphasize opportunity and outcomes in a discussion based upon Christine Sypnowich’s recent Boston Review article, “Is Equal Opportunity Enough?” We also discuss our very own William Paris’s response to Sypnowich in his essay “The Art of Equality.” We debate whether liberalism is tied to capitalist institutions, what it means to lead a flourishing life, and why French social clubs may contain part of the answer. We end with a stirring defense of equality as the best concept for social transformation.

leftofphilosophy.com | @leftofphil

References:

Christine Sypnowich, “Is Equal Opportunity Enough?” https://www.bostonreview.net/forum/is-equal-opportunity-enough/

William Paris, “The Art of Equality” https://www.bostonreview.net/forum_response/the-art-of-equality/ 

Music: Vintage Memories by Schematist | schematist.bandcamp.com


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