Re: Truth

[Ajit Sinha <ecas@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Ricardo asked me to forward this to pen-l. Since I'm in great rush right
now, I would be responding to all my critics in a few days. Till then take
care, ajit

>If you meant to say outright that all truths are "arbitrary", then
>Devine's criticism (and now Doug's as well) apply.
>
>Truth-claims are arbitrary only if they are not open to critical
>(rational) examination by your peers, at which point they may either
>be rejected or accepted. Now, it is true that this rationalist
>attitute involves FAITH in reason, which is what led me to say
>previously that, since the first principles of a
>philosophy cannot be proven true, they are arbitrary: faith in
>reason is arbitrary.
>
>But then I added that:
>
>> >Hegel
>> >>abandoned this attempt to BEGIN philosophy with a set of "first"
>> >>principles. First principles will always lie exterior to reason.
>> >>Reason can only justify itself through its own experience; it has no
>> >>need of another principle except its own act of reasoning. To seek a
>> >>firm foundation apart from the act of reasoning is like trying
>> >>to swim without getting into the water.
>> >___________
>> >
>
>Ajit responded:
>
>> >But do you think Hegel succeeded in his attempt. I think there are lots
>> >of ideas in Hegel which are simply posited. And then of course the
>> >logicians think that dialectics is all mumbo zumbo anyway, but I'm not
>> >saying that.
>> ________
>
>
>Without getting into a debate about Hegel, he posited the truths of
>his time: Post-Kantian and Post-revolutionary Europe. He did not
>concoct these truth (ex nihilo) out of his head...
>
>Ajit continues:
>
>  Again the question is not that whether the
>> native Americans' sense of individuality is in conflict with the
>> predominant cultural norms of "individual rights and cultural liberties" in
>> America. Even if it did conflict, the multiculturalist must protect and
>> respect the predominant American cultural norms. It is a part of the
>> multicultural fabric. The problem arises when one culture, usually the
>> dominant culture, argues that it is the only "reasonable" way to live and
>> the other cultures must 'assimilate', i.e. accept a cultural genocide.
>>
>> I do think that the question of justice for all requires to be thought
>> through seriously though. On what principle a sense of justice could be
>> built? Cheers, ajit sinha
>>
>
> That's the problem: in the name of multiculturalism you may very
>well find yourself protecting every crime in the book! By the
>way, I am not against multiculturalism; my point is that - in this
>age of "modernity", of which you are a participant - there are no
>simple solutions, such as those which simply celebrate all cultural
>practices. ricardo
>
>