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Many contemporary political thinkers are gripped by the belief\nthat their task is to develop an ideal theory of rights or justice\nfor guiding and judging political actions. But in_Philosophy and\nReal Politics_, Raymond Geuss argues that philosophers should\nfirst try to understand why real political actors behave as they\nactually do. Far from being applied ethics, politics is a skill\nthat allows people to survive and pursue their goals. To understand\npolitics is to understand the powers, motives, and concepts that\npeople have and that shape how they deal with the problems they\nface in their particular historical situations.

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_Philosophy and Real Politics_both outlines a historically\noriented, realistic political philosophy and criticizes liberal\npolitical philosophies based on abstract conceptions of rights and\njustice. The book is a trenchant critique of established ways of\nthought and a provocative call for change.

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