Reason-Based Decision-Making: On Deliberation and the Problem of Indeterminacy

What is the explanatory potential of deliberative democracy? This paper analyses collective decision-making in a political context with reference to warrants, which explain the conversion from premises to conclusion and with reference to the deontological powers of status functions. The first posits actors’ ability to comply with the force of the better argument through explication of the relevant rules of inference. The latter explains why actors may act out of duty. Since actors may dispel good arguments as well as duties, there is the problem of indeterminacy. However, by making use of mechanism explanation one is able to account for the action coordinating properties of deliberation. A set of micro-mechanisms for the activation of institutional status functions are suggested underpinning the three sequences of deliberation identified: claims-making, justification and learning. Each contains different micro-mechanisms. Learning takes place when one or more actors realize mistake and change opinion. Learning is preceded by claims-making based on value consensus and appeal, and justification, revolving on corroborated factual statements and norms of fairness, which on their own can sway actors to concur. Decision-making is only deliberative when claims-making is succeeded by justification and learning.