ABSTRACT
The topic of this essay is the legitimacy, power, and limits of reasonableness in democratic self-governance. Addressing this topic will require, in turn, attending to a number of specific questions, including: What does it mean to be reasonable? Is it appropriate to expect reasonableness of democratic citizens? What difference does democracy make to norms of reasonableness? What benefits can we expect from having reasonable citizens and reasonable procedures? What desirable political outcomes are beyond the capacity of reasonableness to deliver? The central thesis of the essay will be that it is proper and important to encourage the habits and capacities of reasonableness among a democratic citizenry, that devotion to norms and practices of reasonableness is highly advantageous to social comity and good policy in a democratic society, but that expecting or demanding too much of reasonableness can be counterproductive.
