Extremism: A Philosophical Analysis

We live in a world in which extremism is said to be on the rise. The 20th century was scarred by extremist movements and ideologies, and extremism continues to be a problem in the 21st century. But what exactly is extremism, and what is wrong with it? Martin Luther King Jr. famously asked whether we will be extremists for the preservation of injustice or for the extension of justice. Is there such a thing as "good" extremism or is extremism always a bad thing? Speaker Quassim Cassam, Professor of Philosophy, University of Warwick