Philosopher Arianne Shahvisi shares the tools you can use to sharpen social justice arguments.

On this week’s Fully Booked podcast, Arianne Shahvisi joins us to discuss Arguing for a Better World: How Philosophy Can Help Us Fight for Social Justice (Penguin, July 18), a brilliant response to the question, “How might we talk to one another about divisive political issues in a more productive way?” Using philosophical tools, Shahvisi, a senior lecturer in ethics at the Brighton and Sussex Medical School in the U.K., shows readers how to contemplate, comprehend, and substantiate their moral positions, with the express purpose of fostering understanding and imagining alternative futures.

Here’s a bit from Kirkus’ review of Aruging for a Better World: “In chapters with intriguing titles like ‘Can You Be Racist to a White Person?’ ‘Is It Sexist To Say Men Are Trash?’ and ‘Has Political Correctness Gone Too Far?’ Shahvisi attempts not ‘to be “objective” or “apolitical,” if such a thing were even possible,’ but to ‘make my reasoning clear enough that those who disagree with me will at least see where we part ways.’ For example, the cases she examines to explore the possibility of reverse racism include Abigail Fisher, aka ‘Becky With the Bad Grades,’ who felt that her rejection by the University of Texas was racist because ‘less qualified’ students of color were admitted.…In this case, as in just about all, Shahvisi finds that the real problem is capitalism. ‘While power and material resources continue to be distributed as they are, there can be no such thing as “reverse-oppression.”’ If steam is pouring from your ears right now, you probably aren’t going to like her answer to the question, ‘Do All Lives Matter?’ but the path to it is instructive.…Though conservative readers may part ways with the author, even they may be interested in the cogent analysis she provides.”

Shahvisi and host Megan Labrise discuss problem-solving and the importance of showing one’s work; the role of social media in political organizing; the tools philosophers use to understand their positions and envision alternative futures; the impossibility of reverse racism in today’s world; the chapter “Is It Sexist To Say Men Are Trash?”; generic generalizations; language and power; and much more.

Then editors Laura Simeon, Mahnaz Dar, Eric Liebetrau, and Laurie Muchnick share their top picks in books for the week.

Editors’ picks:

Unnecessary Drama by Nina Kenwood (Flatiron Books)

Spanish Is the Language of My Family by Michael Genhart, illus. by John Parra (Neal Porter/Holiday House)

bell hooks: The Last Interview and Other Conversations by Melville House (Melville House)

The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store by James McBride (Riverhead)

Also mentioned on this episode:

Roomiesby Sara Zarr & Tara Alterbrando

When We Were Alone by David A. Robertson, illus. by Julie Flett

The Last Interviews series from Melville House

Sing a Black Girl’s Song: The Unpublished Work of Ntozake Shange by Ntozake Shange, ed. by Imani Perry

The Color of Water: A Black Man’s Tribute to His White Mother by James McBride

Kill ’Em and Leave: Searching for the Real James Brown by James McBride

Thanks to our sponsors:

Karl’s Diary: It’s a Dog’s Life by Sharon Winters

Fever of Unknown Origin: A True Tale of Modern Medicine, Mystery, and Magic by Judith M. Ford

Fully Booked is produced by Cabel Adkins Audio and Megan Labrise.