On February 17, as part of the third edition of the Ethics & Society Forum at the Institute for Culture and Society, the book Citizenship and the Pursuit of the Worthy Life (Cambridge University Press, 2014) was presented.

Speakers included David Thunder, the book's author and research fellow in the Religion and Civil Society project; Mariano Crespo, research fellow within the Natural Law and Practical Rationality project; and Alfredo Cruz, Professor of Philosophy.

The session was moderated by Montserrat Herrero, who is principal investigator of the Religion and Civil Society project and Professor of Political Philosophy.

In his work, Dr. Thunder intends to "combat the separatist mindset" that "considers public life as if it were a completely separate aspect from the personal, professional, ethical or religious."

A holistic view of the citizen

As a solution, in his work, the research fellow from the Religion and Civil Society project lays out a holistic vision of the citizen, which integrates roles and civic activities in the broadest sense in a person's life.

To overcome the problem of the separation between the political role and citizens' search for a dignified life that manifests itself in "apathy and disillusionment with public life," the ICS scholar proposes his vision of what it means to be a good citizen: "It does not just mean voting, paying taxes or caring about local politics; it involves a 'personal matter.' There are many ways to be a good citizen, such as operating a business that contributes to the common good in society."