Wednesday, June 13, 2007
Last Words from Richard Rorty
Danny Postel at The Progressive with an interview by correspondence, interrupted by Mr. Rorty's death.
On the popularity of his work in some Iranian circles,
On the long-term prospects of this alternative.
See Psalm 146:3-4.
(via Arts & Letters Daily)
Update: At Open Democracy, Roger Scruton on Richard Rorty’s legacy ¶ 6/13/2007 06:59:00 AM
On the popularity of his work in some Iranian circles,
When I was told that another figure much discussed in Tehran was Habermas, I concluded that the best explanation for interest in my work was that I share Habermas’s vision of a social democratic utopia. In this utopia, many of the functions presently served by membership in a religious community would be taken over by what Habermas calls "constitutional patriotism." Some form of patriotism — of solidarity with fellow-citizens, and of shared hopes for the country’s future — is necessary if one is to take politics seriously. In a theocratic country, a leftist political opposition must be prepared to counter the clergy’s claim that the nation’s identity is defined by its religious tradition. So the left needs a specifically secularist form of moral fervor, one which centers around citizens’ respect for one another rather than on the nation’s relation to God.
On the long-term prospects of this alternative.
But I still think that the end of democracy is a likely consequence of nuclear terrorism, and I do not know how to guard against this danger. Sooner or later some terrorist group will repeat 9/11 on a much grander scale. I doubt that democratic institutions will be resilient enough to stand the strain.
See Psalm 146:3-4.
(via Arts & Letters Daily)
Update: At Open Democracy, Roger Scruton on Richard Rorty’s legacy ¶ 6/13/2007 06:59:00 AM
