Download or read book Criticism and Public Rationality written by Harry W. Smart and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2013-12-19 with total page 237 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Criticism is at the heart of any political discussion, and criticism of old policies is central to the development of new ones. In its analysis of political decision-making, this reissue, first published in 1991, examines the principles which control the process of policy criticism. It identifies two fundamental and related obstacles to this process: the privileged status accorded to 'professional judgement' and the conflicting philosophical ideas that shape political argument. Based on the study of Europe's largest local authority, the book presents a theory of decision-making that can be applied to institutions at all levels.