Trusting in Reason Martin Hollis and the Philosophy of Social Action

Martin Hollis (d.1998) was arguably the most incisive, eloquent and witty philosopher of the social sciences of his time. His work is appreciated and contested here by some of the most eminent of contemporary social theorists. Hollis's philosophy of social action, routinely distinguished between understanding (rational) and explanation (causal). He argued that the aptest account of human interaction was to be made in terms of the first. Thus he focused upon the human reasons, for, rather than upon the natural causes of, action.
This volume, for the first time, brings together important essays on the work of Hollis, from many different perspectives. These include politics, sociology and economics in general; international relations, rational choice theory, constitutionalism and the rule of law as well as current concerns with relativism, Rousseauist contractarianism, "dirty hands" and "buck-passing."

Introduction - Trusting in Reason, Preston King; Liberalism for the Liberals, Cannibalism for the Cannibals, Steven Lukes; Hollis, Rousseau and Gyges' Ring, Timothy O'Hagan; Turst and Political Constitutions, Albert Weale; Trust, Choice and Routines - Putting the Consumer on Trial, Roberta Sassatelli; Whose Dirty Hands? How to Prevent Buck-Passing, Barbara Goodwin; Many (Dirty) Hands Make Light Work - Martin Hollis's Account of Social Action, Steve Smith; The Bond of Society - Reason or Sentiment? Robert Sugden; Collective Reasoning - A Critique of Martin Hollis's Position, Nicholas Bardsley; A Quick Peek into the Abyss - The Game of Social Life in Martin Hollis's Position, Nicholas Bardsley; Rational Choice and Trust, Keith Dowding; The Rule of Law and the Rule of Persons, Richard Bellamy