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CEPPA Talk (online only) – Heather Battaly (University of Connecticut)
October 20, 2022 @ 4:00 pm - 5:30 pm
Location: Teams (online only)
Title: Can Fanaticism be a Liberatory Virtue?
Abstract: Quassim Cassam (2022a) and Paul Katsafanas (2019) have argued that fanaticism and extremism are normatively negative concepts—characterized by, e.g., perverted ideals, vicious closed-mindedness, and unwarranted intolerance. I suggest an alternative approach that: (i) explains what makes fanaticism and extremism vicious in the very many cases in which they are; but also (ii) allows for cases in which fanaticism and extremism aren’t liberatory-vices and may even be liberatory-virtues. My hope is that this approach might serve as a resource for those in liberatory struggles.