2020 Election Series: The Ethics of (Not) Voting
On Tuesday, Oct. 20, Professor of Philosophy Scott Davidson will examine the ethics of choosing not to vote. More than 40% of the eligible population consists of non-voters. Recent studies show that this population is not homogenous. They can be divided into different subgroups, with distinct reasons for not voting. One interesting subset of non-voters is the group of registered voters who choose not to vote for ethical reasons. How do they come to believe that it is unethical to vote in an election? This talk will examine and assess several arguments in favor of not voting.
Throughout October, the Eberly College of Arts and Sciences is holding a series of lunch-hour discussions on topics related to the 2020 general election. The programs will be held on Zoom from noon to 12:50 p.m. Registration is required.
About the speaker
Scott Davidson’s research focuses on leading figures in contemporary French philosophy, such as Maurice Merleau-Ponty, Emmanuel Levinas, Michel Henry and Paul Ricoeur. He is especially interested in exploring how recent developments in French theory can yield new insights into topics in the areas of ethics, political philosophy, the philosophy of law and the philosophy of embodiment. Davidson has translated four books and numerous articles by Michel Henry into English, and he has recently published “The Michel Henry Reader.” In addition, he has edited five books on the work of Paul Ricoeur, including most recently a three-part series on Ricoeur’s early philosophy of the will. Davidson serves as editor of the Journal of French and Francophone Philosophy.