Joint Commitment: How We Make the Social World

by Margaret Gilbert

In this wide-ranging collection of essays, distinguished philosopher Margaret Gilbert investigates the structure of our social world. People often speak of what we do, think, and feel, and of our values, conventions, and laws. Asking what we mean by such talk, Gilbert invokes the foundational idea of joint commitment. She applies this idea to topics ranging from the mutual recognition of two people to the unity of the European Union, from marital love to patriotism, from promissory obligation to the rights of those who issue authoritative commands. Written clearly and without undue technicality, this richly textured collection of essays makes a powerful argument for the importance of joint commitment in our personal and public lives.

Genres: Philosophy, Nonfiction

464 pages, ebook

First published January 1, 2013

Reviews

[Edie Walls · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really adore the idea of joint commitment as a way of understanding group actions and beliefs. Even though it is criticized by works such as Lackey's The Epistemology of Groups, it will still remain my favorite account of group belief.