In class on Monday, we discussed Cosmopolitanism, which can be defined, in short, as global citizenship. It is the ideology that all human ethnic groups belong to a single community based on a shared morality. Cosmos is Greek for "of the world" which can also be translated as a "common thread". These translations together can lead to the meaning of coexistence.
All of these definitions come down to one thing; no matter where we live or what race we are, we are human. If you poke a person in Japan, and then poke a person in Italy, they will react the same way. In order to be a Cosmopolitan, you must tolerate, and more importantly, appreciate the differences of the world. To do this, is to break down the barriers between cultures.
The underlying questions are: Is it the moral obligation of humans to
"owe" all people as much help as we can offer? What is the ethical
justification of that obligation? Is it too much to ask of us?
Is it possible to to achieve Cosmopolitanism? If so what steps does one have to take in order to achieve this global acceptance that the human race belong to one group regardless of race, religion, and ethnic group?
ReplyDeleteFactual Question: Does Appiah believe we should treat everyone exactly the same? No he believes in 'universality plus difference' the idea that we have baseline obligations we should have toward everyone and special obligations to those close to use like our family and friends.
ReplyDeleteDiscussion Question: Do you agree with Appiah's view of 'universality plus difference'? Do you think this is a reasonable view to hold?