Publisher's Synopsis
The essays in this volume explore the significance of plurality and diversity in our moral, social, and political lives. The opening essay, which gives this volume its title, discusses these issues in the context of multiculturalism. A culture is of value not only to members of the particular cultural group, but also to non-members, and to society at large. Related essays in the volume discuss the notion of social identity, and the extent to which individuals and groups may legitimately claim a degree of autonomy from the demands of others. A recurring theme, both explicit and implicit, of the essays is that there is no single value that underpins all our moral concerns, nor is there a single motivating force that explains all our commitments. In this sense, plurality and diversity are vindicated, but without descending into subjectivism and mere relativism about values.
