Worries About Philosopher Experts

Abstract Well-functioning modern democracies depend largely on expert knowledge and arrangements, but this expertise reliance also causes severe problems for their legitimacy. Somewhat surprisingly, moral political philosophers have come to play an increasing role as experts in contemporary policymaking. The paper discusses different epistemic democratic worries raised by the presence of philosopher governance, relying a broad review existing studies, suggests measures alleviate them. It is argued that biases are vulnerable may contribute reducing quality advice, characteristics philosophers’ expertise, controversies around what competences amount to, make it hard distinguish proper from less experts. Reliance intensify not least due depoliticization pressures introduction ethics tends give rise to. Still, orientations policy discussions deliberations likely profit from. Worries about moreover be mitigated means design arrangements. Confronted with genuine risks challenges governance any quick fix obviously unavailable, when institutionalized right way involvement present-day policymaking bears significant promise.