Ward E. Jones, “Philosophers and the Poor” (2010)

ANDSamantha Vice, “How Do I Live in This Strange Place?” (2010)

PHIL 102, UBCSummer 2015

Christina Hendricks

Except images licensed otherwise, this presentation is licensed CC BY-SA 3.0

Jones: “Philosophers and the Poor”

His main point in the article

“Academic” philosophy can have a “therapeutic” effect on those in poverty

Adapted from Socrates sculpture, Louvre, by CherryX on Wikimedia Commons, licensed CC BY-SA 3.0

“It is possible for an individual to be exposed to philosophical work which leads her to an improved understanding of herself and her situation, and for her life to be improved by this understanding” (102).

Defin. p. 99

Potential problems

• Academic philosophers speak mostly to themselves (103-104)

• Should they be telling those in poverty how to live their lives? (108-109) Network icon adapted by adding outward arrows

Avoiding telling others what to think/do

• Philosophy’s insular community is good for this

• Offering concepts & arguments as “available for consideration” (107)

• Providing a “repository” that can be used for “inspiration” (110, 118-119)

ExamplesWhat concepts, theories, arguments could philosophers discuss that might be useful for those in poverty?

• Clarify the moral nature of their situation, help direct emotions (111-112)

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Examples

• Find ways for those in poverty to embrace/affirm aspects of their lives (114-117)

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Other ways could affirm aspects of life of poverty?

o More easily see, with the Stoics, what things are “indifferent”? (my example)

A truce?

Philosophy can help those in poverty make a “truce with [their] reality” (99)

What does he mean by this?

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Questions, comments

• Thoughts on Jones’ arguments?

• Might Nussbaum be said to be telling the poor how to live their lives?

• LC on next article…

Vice: “How Do I Live in This Strange Place?”

From wikimedia commons, public domain

Non-whites only bench outside high court civil annex CT, by KNewman1 on wikimedia commons, licensed CC-BY-SA

Apartheid in S. Africa

1948-approx. 1994

Bantustans in South Africa, by Htonl on Wikimedia Commons, licensed CC-BY-SA 3.0

Bantustans at end of Apartheid, 1994

Untitled Fickr photo shared by Thomas_Sly, licensed CC-BY (in album of Cape Town)

Township near Cape Town, Flickr photo shared by Simon Harriyott, licensed CC-BY

Townships in S. Africa

Images from2006 & 2010

What is her main point in the article?

Question: “…how white people can be and live well in such a land, with such a legacy. … What is the morally appropriate reaction to one’s situation of privilege?” (323)

oAddressing political role of philosophers to “engage with their context” (324)

What is her answer?

Shame and silence

1. It is appropriate for white South Africans to feel shame at the recognition of their “unavoidable privilege” (329)

2.How white South Africans should respond to this is to focus on self-improvement … • with “humility and

silence” in the political realm (335)

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Shame• “a response to having

fallen below the standards one sets for oneself” (328)

• “the recognition that one ought not to be as one is” (329)

• Different from guilt Oh, the shame, the shame, Flickr photo shared by Tinou Bau, licensed CC BY 2.0

Why appropriate for white S. Africans to feel shame?

• White privilege

o E.g. Peggy McIntosh, “White Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack”

• “White privilege does not attach merely to what one does or how one benefits, but, more fundamentally, to who one is” (Vice 329)o So shame is appropriate

Bad character traits often part of white privilege

• Discrimination & cruelty (maybe less prevalent)

• Cowardice, dishonesty, indifference, laziness (327)

• “an attitude of automatic, unwilled distrust or fear” (328)o e.g., unconscious bias: the

“Implicit Association Test” https://implicit.harvard.edu/implicit/

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Fear icon, croppedPublic domain at the noun project

How should whites in S. Africa respond?

Whites, especially in S. Africa, are morally damaged by bad character traits (325) • Need to work on “a private project of self-

improvement,” staying out of public discussions of the political situation (335)

“Whites have too long had influence and a public voice; now they should in humility step back from expressing their thoughts or managing others” (335) Speech ico

n

Speaking for othersBoth Jones & Vice concerned about those in privileged positions telling others how to think/how to live

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Group discussion

• Can you think of a situation where Vice’s arguments might also be applicable?

• What do you think of her arguments, for S. Africa and/or for another situation in which they’re applicable?

http://is.gd/PHIL102Vice