Iggyvibal’s Weblog

Trying out One’s new Sword: Mary Midgley

Book Title: Contemporary Moral Problems
Seventh Edition

Amazon Link: http://www.amazon.com/Contemporary-Moral-Problems-James-White/dp/0495553204/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1235694270&sr=8-1

Library Reference:

Quote:

Learning Expectation:

Basically I really don’t know what this essay is all about, I can’t understand the title itself. I hope that after reading this essay I will learn what is this all about and the significance of this in my personal life.

Review:

The author of this essay is Mary Midgley, an English moral philosopher. She is known for her work on religion, science, ethics, and humankind’s relationship with animals. She also has some books namely: Beast and Man: The Roots of Human Nature, Heart and Mind: The Varieties of Moral Experience, Animals and why they matter, Wickedness, and the Ethical Primate: Humans, Freedom, and Morality.

In this essay the author discussed the main idea which is moral isolationism, the view of anthropologists and others that we cannot criticize the cultures that we do no understand.
Basically the main topic of this essay is criticizing one’s culture, wherein Midgley argues that moral isolationism is wrong. Why? It’s because it forbids any moral reasoning, and she also considered this as immoralism. The argument here is that we cannot criticize one’s culture because we don’t know that culture.

For me personally it doesn’t mean that if I don’t a certain culture of other people I can’t criticize it. I mean everybody in this world can express his/her own opinion. Whether good or bad, it’s right to exercise the freedom of speech.

To explain this further here’s the given example on the book, in Japan they this old culture called tsujigiri. A samurai sword had to tried out to check it is working by slicing someone.
For me that’s not good but maybe for the Japanese people don’t see that as a bad tradition, probably it’s been a tradition for hundred of years ago and it could also mean something to their empire or emperor.

Criticizing is different from Judging. When we say Judging, it means forming an opinion, and expressing it. While Criticizing it is when you express your feelings on a certain thing by not concluding something.

It is also mentioned that cultures are not separated and unmixed, in fact a culture of a certain nation is made of different influences.

What I have learned:

I learned that moral isolationism is not good to people, they’re not using their right to express ideas. Ideas which won’t harm other people, these are ideas that came from our own personal opinion, from our own observations.

Integrative Questions:

Who is Mary Midgley?
Is moral isolationism moral?
What is the basis for criticizing?
What is the Japanese tradition discussed on the essay?
What is judging?

Review Questions:

What is moral isolationism?

It is the view of anthropologists that we cannot criticize culture that we do not know.

Explain the Japanese custom of tsujigiri. What questions does Midgley ask about this custom?

This is a custom in Japan wherein samurai had to be tried to know if it will work properly. To be more specific it must cut through someone. Questions are (1) does the isolating barrier work in both ways? (2)  are people in other cultures equally unable to criticize us?

What is wrong with moral isolationism, according to Midgley?

According to Midgley moral isolationism is essentially a doctrine of immoralism because it forbids any moral reasoning.

What does Midgley think is the basis for criticizing other cultures?

According to Midgley the basis would be whenever people do not understand other people’s culture. I also think that would be the basis, for me I will not criticize something I fully understand it.

Discussion Questions:

I think yes for me it’s fair because it’s her opinion, that’s her idea of Nietzsche. Nobody can change it unless she proves it wrong.

Yes  I agree with her because I believe that one’s culture is made up of different influences. For example our culture here in Philippines we have this such culture because of our ancestors.