True Tolerance Liberalism and the Necessity of Judgment

This book challenges the modern understanding of tolerance as ethical neutrality, arguing that this redefinition has led to a crisis in law, politics, and education. J. Budziszewski contends that genuine tolerance requires making judgments about objective goods and evils, rather than avoiding them. He meticulously dissects neutralist arguments, demonstrating that true neutrality is impossible and can leave society vulnerable to extremism. The author proposes a vision of tolerance rooted in an older liberal tradition, emphasizing its connection to virtues like humility, mercy, and respect.