Philip Pettit

1.1. Birth and Nationality

Philip Noel Pettit was born in 1945 in Ballygar, a town located in County Galway, Ireland. Initially an Irish national, he later naturalized as an Australian citizen in 1988, reflecting his significant academic contributions and long tenure in Australia. In 2005, he further obtained permanent residency in the United States, solidifying his international academic presence.

1.2. Education

Pettit pursued his early education at Garbally College. He then attended the National University of Ireland, Maynooth, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts (BA), a Licentiate in Philosophy (LPh), and a Master of Arts (MA). He continued his academic journey at Queen's University Belfast, where he completed his Doctor of Philosophy (PhD).

2.1. Professorships and Research Positions

Pettit began his professional academic career as a lecturer at University College Dublin. He later served as a research fellow at Trinity Hall, Cambridge, before becoming a professor at the University of Bradford. For many years, he held a prominent position as a professorial fellow in social and political theory at the Research School of Social Sciences within the Australian National University. His international career further expanded when he became a visiting professor of philosophy at Columbia University for five years. Since 2002, he has been a professor at Princeton University, where he holds the esteemed position of Laurance Rockefeller University Professor of Human Values. He concurrently maintains his affiliation with the Australian National University as a Distinguished University Professor of Philosophy.

3.1. Political Philosophy and Republicanism

A central pillar of Pettit's philosophical work is his defense of a version of civic republicanism in political philosophy. He is a leading proponent of the concept of liberty as non-domination, arguing that true freedom is not merely the absence of interference (negative liberty) but the absence of arbitrary power or the capacity for domination by others, whether individuals or institutions. This concept is fundamental to his vision of a just and democratic society, where citizens are protected from the arbitrary will of others and can participate equally in governance. His seminal work, Republicanism: A Theory of Freedom and Government, published in 1997, provided a robust theoretical justification for this perspective and has been highly influential in contemporary political thought, particularly concerning democratic development and social justice.

3.2. Philosophy of Mind and Agency

Pettit has also made significant contributions to the philosophy of mind and the theory of agency. He explores the psychological underpinnings of human action and the nature of free will. His work in this area, particularly in A Theory of Freedom: from psychology to the politics of agency, delves into how individuals can be considered free and responsible agents within a social and political context. He argues for a view of agency that is compatible with both psychological determinism and moral responsibility, providing a coherent framework for understanding human behavior and its implications for social and political structures.

3.3. Ethics and Social Theory

In the realm of ethics and social theory, Pettit's work extends to concepts of justice, virtue, and the common good. He analyzes the dynamics of civil society and political society, examining how these spheres contribute to social equity and collective well-being. His book, The Economy of Esteem: an essay on civil and political society, co-authored with Geoffrey Brennan, explores how social esteem and recognition play a crucial role in shaping individual behavior and maintaining social order, offering insights into how societies can foster cooperation and mutual respect to achieve a more just and equitable distribution of resources and opportunities.

3.4. Interdisciplinary Approach

Pettit's philosophical methodology is notably interdisciplinary. He posits that insights gained from grappling with problems in one area of philosophy often serve as ready-made solutions for challenges encountered in entirely different fields. For example, he demonstrates how his views developed in the philosophy of mind can inform solutions to metaphysical problems concerning the nature of free will. These solutions, in turn, contribute to his approaches in the philosophy of the social sciences, which then inform his solutions to problems in moral philosophy and political philosophy. This integrated approach allows his corpus to form a cohesive and comprehensive philosophical system. The interconnectedness of his ideas was a central theme in a series of critical essays published in Common Minds: Themes from the Philosophy of Philip Pettit (Oxford University Press, 2007), which comprehensively reviewed his work.

4.1. Books

Pettit has authored or co-authored a substantial number of significant books, each contributing to his overarching philosophical framework:

• The Concept of Structuralism: a Critical Analysis (1975)
• Judging justice: an introduction to contemporary political philosophy (1980)
• Semantics and Social Science, with Graham Macdonald (1981)
• Not Just Deserts: A Republican Theory of Criminal Justice, with John Braithwaite (1990)
• Rawls: 'A Theory of Justice' and its critics, with Chandran Kukathas (1990)
• The Common Mind; an essay on psychology, society and politics (1993)
• Republicanism: a theory of freedom and government (1997)
• Three Methods of Ethics: a debate, with Marcia Baron and Michael Slote (1997)
• A Theory of Freedom: from psychology to the politics of agency (2001)
• Rules, Reasons and Norms: selected essays (2002)
• Mind, Morality, and Explanation: Selected Collaborations, with Frank Jackson and Michael Smith (2004)
• The Economy of Esteem: an essay on civil and political society, with Geoffrey Brennan (2004)
• Made with Words: Hobbes on Language, Mind, and Politics (2007)
• A Political Philosophy in Public Life: Civic Republicanism in Zapatero's Spain, with José Luis Martí (2010)
• Group Agency: The Possibility, Design, and Status of Corporate Agents., with Christian List (2011)
• On The People's Terms: A Republican Theory and Model of Democracy. (2012)
• Just Freedom: A Moral Compass for a Complex World. (2015)
• The Robust Demands of the Good: Ethics with Attachment, Virtue, and Respect. (2015)
• The State (2023)

4.2. Chapters in Books

Pettit has also contributed significantly to edited volumes and collaborative works, expanding on his theories through specific chapter contributions:

• "The common good" in Justice and democracy: essays for Brian Barry (2004)
• "Joining the Dots" in Common Minds: Themes from the Philosophy of Philip Pettit (2007) edited by Geoffrey Brennan, Robert E. Goodin, Frank Jackson and Michael Smith
• "Freedom in the spirit of Sen" in Amartya Sen (2009)

In addition to his authored works, Pettit has edited or co-edited several collections:

• Action and Interpretation: Studies in the Philosophy of the Social Sciences, co-edited with Christopher Hookway (1977)
• Subject, Thought, and Context, co-edited with John McDowell (1986)
• Metaphysics and Morality: Essays in Honour of J.J.C. Smart, co-edited with Richard Sylvan and Jean Norman (1987)
• The Good Polity: Normative Analysis of the State, co-edited with Alan Hamlin (1989)
• Contemporary Political Theory (1991)
• Consequentialism (1993)
• A Companion to Contemporary Political Philosophy, co-edited with Robert E. Goodin (1993, 2nd ed., 2007)
• Contemporary Political Philosophy: An Anthology, co-edited with Robert E. Goodin (1997, 2nd ed., 2006)

5.1. Academic Affiliations

Pettit is a distinguished member of several prestigious academic bodies globally:

• Fellow of the Academy of the Social Sciences in Australia (1987)
• Corresponding Fellow of the Australian Academy of the Humanities (1988)
• Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences (2009)
• Honorary member of the Royal Irish Academy (2010)
• Corresponding Fellow of the British Academy (2013)

He has also been a Guggenheim Fellow and a member of the scientific committee of the Fundacion IDEAS.

5.2. Awards and Honorary Degrees

Pettit's significant scholarly achievements have been recognized through various awards and honorary degrees:

• He is a recipient of an honorary doctorate from the National University of Ireland.
• He was appointed a Companion of the Order of Australia (AC) in the 2017 Queen's Birthday Honours (Australia), one of Australia's highest civilian honors, recognizing his eminent service to philosophy and political theory.
• He was also a keynote speaker at the Graduate Conference at the University of Toronto.

6.1. Influence on Politics and Society

Pettit's work, particularly his theory of civic republicanism and liberty as non-domination, has transcended academic circles to influence practical politics. His book Republicanism: A Theory of Freedom and Government provided the underlying justification for significant political reforms in Spain under the leadership of Prime Minister José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero. This direct application of his philosophical concepts highlights their relevance to contemporary democratic governance and efforts to enhance social justice. Pettit detailed his engagement with Zapatero's government in his co-authored work, A Political Philosophy in Public Life: Civic Republicanism in Zapatero's Spain, demonstrating how his ideas can contribute to the development of more robust and equitable democratic systems. His emphasis on protecting citizens from arbitrary power resonates with aspirations for greater transparency, accountability, and citizen participation in modern democracies.

6.2. Academic Reception and Criticism

Pettit's extensive philosophical corpus has been the subject of considerable academic attention and critical analysis. His interdisciplinary approach, which seeks to connect seemingly disparate areas of philosophy, has been both lauded for its ambition and scrutinized for its implications. The collection of critical essays published in Common Minds: Themes from the Philosophy of Philip Pettit (Oxford University Press, 2007) stands as a testament to the significant engagement his work has generated within the academic community. This volume, featuring contributions from various scholars, explores and critically evaluates his theories across the philosophy of mind, metaphysics, social sciences, ethics, and political philosophy, contributing to ongoing scholarly debates about freedom, justice, and the nature of collective agency.