The double-edged sword which is reason

[northwestpass]

After teaching two lectures on Libertarianism to the students of my Theories of Social Justice class, with John Hospers' "Libertarian Manifesto" as my text, I could not help but be reminded of these words from Rousseau:

"It is reason that engenders amour-propre, and reflection that confirms it: it is reason which turns man's mind back upon itself

Comments

ok...sure

[anonymous]

I guess in a round about way, Rousseau is speaking about the ability a human being has for self-reflection. Being able to do that not only allows us to identify with another misfortune, but also allows one to be dispassionate and detached when analyzing the same actions. Does this also mean that at times, reason serves also to desensitize one from others, and feel apart from rather than apart of the whole world?

Not that I dislike reason or philosophy. I think we need these and other studies.

I would say that Rousseau is on to something, if he is trying to imply that the beginnings of being better or less than another is to not be like others. It is also the beginning of rationalizing that something is not that bad, and in that way, we start a process of dehumanizing ourselves with our reason.

Charlene

Re: ok...sure

[northwestpass]

Hi Charlene,

Just a brief context for his remarks: the quote I've presented here follows follow a fairly long discussion of the virtue of compassion and human-heartedness as a natural disposition within people; all the while he gripes about how it does not appear in Hobbes' discussion of "the state of nature".

I, obviously, am a big fan of reason and philosophy. But it did occur to me that a little bit of sophisticated intellectual discourse can often easily quell that part of our psychology which cannot bear the suffering of others.

Libertarianism, as a political philosophy, categorically rules out generosty and compassion for others (except as an optional supererogatory good), and does so in the name of freedom. Hospers is clear on that point, when he refers to any and all taxation as theft, even for humanitarian purposes such as relief from poverty. Hence why it reminded me of Rousseau's words.

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