Does our political culture need philosophy? Undoubtedly. But not so much the refinements of rival theories that excite philosophers, but rather the basics we take for granted. Even simple distinctions like that between a preference and a need or an interest and a right.

I think *this* is the kind of impact philosophy should most strive to have. It’s not an impact achieved through original research but through a conceptual and normative clear-sightedness connected with an ability to illuminate the important public questions of the day.

Exemplary in this regard has been Onora O’Neill in hammering home important distinctions, like that between trust and trustworthiness, or important conceptual connections, such as the duty-involving character of rights.

To this extent, the aim of philosophers should be to remind people of hard-won cultural achievements that we risk ignoring or throwing away, often without realising we are doing so.