Pragmatism as anti-authoritarianism (original) (raw)
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Pragmatism Left and Right: The Pragmatic Political Philosophies of Richard Rorty and Leo Strauss
An abstract of the thesis of Johnathan Keith Beal for the Master of Arts in Political Science presented May 1, 2008. Title: Pragmatism Left and Right: The Pragmatic Political Philosophies of Richard Rorty and Leo Strauss. Michel Foucault’s Anti-Enlightment Historicism presents the possibility that modern Civilization is not freer, and it is not closer to the truth. In Richard Rorty’s view ironist/postmodernist/historicist philosophy does not mean we should stop being good little compassionate, working- class liberals. Modern civilization has progressed in the sense that its politics are much less cruel, produce less suffering, and work better for our purposes. Leo Strauss believed that a historicist or valueless society could not work politically, and could only lead to a repeat of the failure of Nazi Germany. Out of pragmatism, not philosophy or truth, Strauss is dedicated to Natural Rights, and the possibility of “revelation”, the founding noble myths of American political civilization. I argue that faced with the “abyss” of historicism, that pragmatism is a happy, and perhaps even necessary alternative. Despite how appealing Rorty’s anti-cruelty liberalism is, at the end of the day it is just one among 2 many possible noble ends and nothing about pragmatism or reason compels other thinkers to endorse it as a moral principle. A more conservative pragmatism, one closer to Strauss’s political views, must precede a progressive pragmatism. What works best politically are those institutions, principles, and policies we have inherited from the past. We can only know what works politically in the real world from what has already been tried. That being said, we should strive to improve upon what has worked best for us so far by gradually tinkering and reforming our politics to see what can work even better. I argue in favor of a progressive-conservative pragmatism. However, this must be a gradually progressive pragmatism. Revolution and radicalism is not progress, and at best efforts for such changes in society can only lead to reactionary backlashes and at worst will lead to disasters like those of Napoleon’s France, Lenin’s Russia, and Hitler’s Germany.
This paper has been recently published in Susen, Simon & Bryan S. Turner (eds.): The Spirit of Luc Boltanski. Essays on the 'Pragmatic Sociology of Critique'. London, New York & Delhi: Anthem Press, pp. 129-152, see: http://www.anthempress.com/the-spirit-of-luc-boltanski. Please quote from the published version.
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