Raymond Geuss’ Political Realism:A Dilemma

This thesis examines Raymond Geuss’ political realism and points out that when Raymond Geuss deals with the concept of power,he will face a dilemma: if the concept of power were a conceptual invention similar to “the state”,then how could power criticize itself? If the concept of power were not a conceptual invention like “the state”,we would seem to be heading towards the law of the jungle.For Geuss,whichever way he chooses in this dilemma,he will face a much trickier challenge.The arguments offered by Janosch Prinz(2016),Enzo Rossi(2010),and Matt Sleat(2021)can be read as attempts to solve this dilemma.Janosch Prinz(2016)proposes “the detoxification of power” to answer the question of “how power criticizes itself”.Enzo Rossi(2010)believes that Hobbes and Williams can be used to help Geuss to obtain a nonmoral political normativity;Matt Sleat(2021)tries to undermine the dilemma by pointing out that “the debates about a distinctive nonmoral political normativity has been an unhelpful and unnecessary distraction”.I refute each of the above arguments.Firstly,I point out the problems brought by “the detoxification of power”;Secondly,I point out that Geuss could not resolve the dilemma even with the help of Hobbes or Williams.Finally,I question the brevity and strength of Matt Sleat’s defense.Therefore,this thesis finally concludes that the dilemma of Raymond Geuss’ political realism needs to be further resolved.