This book asks what distinctive contributions political philosophers might make when reflecting on patently indefensible policies – the kinds of policies that, for all their urgency, seem to call only for political activism rather than political theorizing. My answer revolves around what I term “strategic political theory”: showing how the conclusions desired by these policies’ unreasonable advocates do not follow, even if we adopt their perspective on the world, arguendo, and even if – crucially – we go beyond the unreasonable themselves in making this perspective as rigorous as it can be.

The book links this effort to argue from bad premises to better policies to a democratic hope regarding the possible philosophical quality of political discourse. I contend that respect for our fellow citizens requires that we retain this hope, and explain why the attempt to systematize even unreasonable views held by our fellow citizens embodies multiple valuable forms of respect among co-citizens. I also anticipate at length two natural worries – that by working to systematize unreasonable positions, strategic theorizing legitimates reprehensible views, and that strategic theorizing’s practical value is bound to be limited at best. I then illustrate strategic theorizing by delving into detailed examples, ranging from abortion controversies, through dealings with petrocrats and environmental policy, to the rise of right-wing populism.

“In recent years, Shmuel Nili has emerged as one of the prolific and distinctive political philosophers of his generation. Philosophizing the Indefensible will add to this reputation. Nili insists that in today’s world we cannot ignore indefensible policies and arguments. He lays out an original account of strategic theorizing designed to engage people widely seen as beyond the pale, illustrated with a host of examples, revolving around religious fanaticism, corporate crime, and environmental degradation. This lucid book bridges the chasm between the safe academic world of “reasonable disagreement” and the reality in which fanatics and others invent their own facts and arguments with impunity. A must-read.”

— Ian Shapiro, Sterling Professor of Political Science, Yale University

A lot of political philosophy is disconnected from the real world. This book is an excellent attempt to change all this. Nili, who for several years now has been developing a unique and influential voice roughly at the intersection of real-world concerns and more standardly abstract political philosophy, thinks that political philosophers can play a role in defeating – in the real world – indefensible views and policies and the unreasonable people supporting them. Not all of us can be as ingenuous in employing strategic political theory as Nili is, but I’m now convinced that it’s worth a try: Perhaps this is how political philosophers can take an appropriate part in the most important political struggles of the day.”

— David Enoch, Professor of Law and Philosophy, Hebrew University of Jerusalem and University of Oxford