Good Life and the Good State

Katharina Nieswandt is Associate Professor of Philosophy at Concordia University in Montreal. She specialises in metaethics and political theory.

• Introduction; 1. My good against the common good?;   2.From ancient city to modern nation state;   3.What is a common good?;  4. What is a state?  Why have one?;  5. Reasons for institutions; 6. Collective and personal identity; 7. Constitutivism as a holistic alternative; Acknowledgments; Bibliography; Index

“Katharina Nieswandt’s The Good Life and the Good State is a groundbreaking work revitalizing ancient political philosophy for contemporary philosophy. Drawing on the insights of neo-Aristotelian ethical theory, Nieswandt offers a compelling argument for the state’s role in enabling human flourishing. Her approach addresses a crucial gap in modern political thought, posing a challenge as profound as Anscombe’s critique of modern moral philosophy. The book’s innovative perspective and potential to reshape our understanding of community and individual flourishing make it essential for anyone engaged with political philosophy and virtue ethics.” — John Hacker-Wright, Associate Professor of Philosophy at the University of Guelph