TY - JOUR

T1 - Interpretation and Rationality: Developing Donald Davidson's Ideas in International Political Theory

AU - Gudalov, Nikolay

PY - 2021

Y1 - 2021

N2 - Although influential in philosophy and relevant to interna-tional political theory’s (IPT) key concerns, Donald Davidson has not received commensurate attention in IPT. I aim here to commence filling this gap. I explore Davidson’s insights which fruitfully challenge estab-lished disciplinary views. The notions of rationality, objectivity and truth, and, on the other hand, those of intersubjectivity, language and interpretation are often needlessly separated and constricted by seem-ingly alternative approaches. Davidson firmly reconnects these notions. He helps rethink the realist, strong post-positivist, but also liberal, ‘thin’ constructivist and critical (not thoroughly contextualist) approaches. He bridges the normative cosmopolitan–communitarian distinction. Eventually, Davidson laid foundations for a perspective foregrounding possibilities for rational communication and agreement between very different contexts and also for the non-dogmatic, pluralist and dynamic nature of communication itself.

AB - Although influential in philosophy and relevant to interna-tional political theory’s (IPT) key concerns, Donald Davidson has not received commensurate attention in IPT. I aim here to commence filling this gap. I explore Davidson’s insights which fruitfully challenge estab-lished disciplinary views. The notions of rationality, objectivity and truth, and, on the other hand, those of intersubjectivity, language and interpretation are often needlessly separated and constricted by seem-ingly alternative approaches. Davidson firmly reconnects these notions. He helps rethink the realist, strong post-positivist, but also liberal, ‘thin’ constructivist and critical (not thoroughly contextualist) approaches. He bridges the normative cosmopolitan–communitarian distinction. Eventually, Davidson laid foundations for a perspective foregrounding possibilities for rational communication and agreement between very different contexts and also for the non-dogmatic, pluralist and dynamic nature of communication itself.

KW - communication

KW - Donald Davidson

KW - international political theory

KW - interpretation

KW - post-positivism

KW - rationalism

KW - rationality

UR - https://www.berghahnjournals.com/view/journals/theoria/68/167/theoria.68.issue-167.xml

M3 - Article

VL - 68

SP - 39

EP - 65

JO - Theoria

JF - Theoria

SN - 0040-5825

IS - 167

ER -