PEV Philosophy Exam - P1

hobbes & pinker on violence by nature

yes, humans are violent by nature

Russeau & De Waller on violence by nature

no, humans are not violent by nature

what did agriculture bring according to pinker

violence - defense of territory

author of leviathan (1651)

thomas hobbes (1588 - 1679)

subject of leviathan?

trying to understand humans & human nature in scientific terms

proposed role of state in leviathan?

all powerful

Rousseau (1712-1778) on human nature

“Nothing i smore gentle than man in his primitive state”

author of The Better Angels of our Nature

Pinker (1954)

5 inner demons acc to Pinker’s book

instrumental violence, dominance, revenge, sadism, ideology

4 better angels acc to Pinker’s book

empathy, self-control, morality, reason

Pinker on culture

the learned cause for violence

Pinker’s 5 historical forces for peace

states, commerce, femininization, cosmopolitanism (mobility, literacy, media), knowledge

Franz de Wall (1848-1923) book

Good Natured & The Age of Empathy

veneer theory of human peacefulness

humans are truly cruel and disguise that w/ a fake kindness

de Wall on veneer theory

against it, believed in a biological basis for humanity

de Wall supports what theory

Russian Doll Model

what does the russian doll model say

increasing levels of mutual understanding as consciousness increases

3 layers of russian doll model

emotional contagion → cognitive empathy → attribution

emotional contagion

feeling with others

cognitive empathy

logical of understanding of why the other feels

attribution

fully placing yourself in the shoes of the other

de Wall on groups

intergroup empathy = common, group on group violence more likely

theological solution of nature vs nurture

that good and evil/sin exist independent of ppl - without them acting on it

Hegel (1770 - 1831) on recognition

mutual acknowledgment of self-control

what is the cause for fighting acc to Hegel

lack of recognition

2 types of recognition

lawful & independent

biggest perp acc to Franz Fanon

colonization

causes of colonization acc to Fanon

mental disorders & trauma

only solution to colonialism acc to Fanon

political violence

what does political violence include for Fanon

distancing from Europe/European actors = western world

Rene Girard lifespan & primary occupation

1923-2015, literary critic

Girard’s “Romanesque truth”

our desires are not our own, heavily influenced by those of others’

mimetic desire acc to ?

Girard = wanting something you were previously indifferent to bc someone else expresses desire for it

mimetic rivalry

conflict following the developed desire for something bc it was desired by another

who takes the fall for conflicts acc to Girard?

a usually innocent scapegoat

example of for/against scapegoat

bible condemns the identification of a scapegoat w the story of crucifixion = jesus died for sins he didn’t commit

Immanuel Kant (1724 - 1804) book

On Eternal Peace (1795)

Kant on preparation for war

believed it would bring it = no peace treaty valid if you’re preparing for war

Kant on true democracy

most ppl don’t want to go to - if we let them choose it likely won’t happen

The End of History (1989 - 92) author

Francis Fukuyama

thumos

philosophical stance = in between reason & emotion

Hegel bg for Fukuyama

struggle for recognition

Kant bg for Fukuyama

dignity = essential for humans

The Clash of Civilization (1993/96) author

Sammuel Huntington (1927 - 2008)

“blood borders” from who?

Huntington = lines where wars have been waged

Dominique Mois &

Politics of Emotions

what is Asia ass. w/ acc to Mois

hope

what is the Arab world ass. w/ acc to Mois

anger/humiliation

what is Europe/US ass w/ acc to Mois

fear

Cavanaugh 4 spiritual dimensions

the sacred → charismatic → redemptive → apocalyptic

what does “the sacred” refer to

population based around w threatened group whose culture must be protected

what does “charismatic” refer to

leaders of populist movements are seen as special & chosen

what does “redemptive” refer to?

vision of a utopian world where political salvation is achieved & the ppl are safe

what does “apocalyptic” refer to?

achieving the utopian future may require a final battle against evil enemies

Damon Berry’s prophecy voters

Christian voters who see signs in Trump pointing to his biblically foretold rise to power

“terror” as done by what kind of actor?

non-state

“terror” targets who?

innocent civilians

mission of “terror”?

no achievable/calculable goal but to install fear & disturb a way of life

Derrida (1930 - 2004) on language

can reinforce institutionalized & systematic outdated thinking

ex. of “outdated thinking” acc to Derrida

“ladies & gentlemen”, “man” for everyone

Derrida on “terror”

auto-immunity, installation of fear, changes def of “war”

acc to Derrida, “war on terror…”

generates terror

auto-immunity refers to

us was original sponsor of terrorist movements, now terrorism uses highly sophisticated technology to destroy the most technologically advanced country

Habermas (1929) believed ppl had the crucial ability for

speech & reason

Habermas Magnum opus:

Theory of Communicative Action (1981)

Habermas critical theory

understanding the modern world through the lens of power-relations & suppression

Habermas academic roots

classical Marxist

Habermas on terrorism

“intangible threats issue from local cells of networks w/o a clear political purpose”

Giovanna Borradori on philosophy

dissatisfied w/ silence on terrorism

who did Borradori interview about terrorism

Derrida & Habermas

Habermas when interviewed

cognitive dissonance, winners/losers of globalization, communicative action still possible?

spiral of violence begins w/ what acc to Habermas

distortion of communication

Habermas’ ‘militant democracy’

constantly critically reviewing the universality of practices

MVC stands for?

monotheism violence connections

MVC claim

monotheism leads to violence

5 Argumentations of MVC

associative, statistical, historical, monocausal, intrinsic

MVC & The Theology of Terrorism author

Paul Cliteur

what should be the main focus of understanding/preventing terrorism

‘the terrorist soul’, the mvc is too general and plenty of examples contradict it

one of Eric Vogelin’s (1901 - 1987) books

History of the Consciousness of Order

Vogelin’s existential resistance

desire to transcend the limits of the human condition

In Search of Order (1987) author & subject

Vogelin’s meditative account of what it means to be human & it’s limits

paradox of consciousness book & def

In Search of Order - we are participants in a world we didn’t create

intentionality vs luminosity book & def

In Search of Order - we can make things but not existence itself

‘existential resistance & imagination’ book & def

symbols of a better/perfect world can never be political progress but humans can still use them as such

reflective distance refers to

wisdom

2 modes acc to the Revisionist Argumentation on the “terrorist soul”

mode of control & mode of participation

balance of consciousness

development of the illusion that we can fully control the world

what is necessary to maintain the balance of consciousness?

violence/terrorist violence

Vogelin conclusion 1

terrorism/political violence isn’t specific to any 1 worldview

Vogelin conclusion 3

in the prevention of terrorism/political violence there is a crucial role for religious communities - we must define orthodoxy as a different form of radicalism

Vogelin conclusion 4

we need to cross the public/private divide & allow religions to be publicly present so we can hold them accountable

Postcolonial theory creator

Achil’e Mbembe (1957)

Mbembe inspired by?

Fanon, Marx, Carl Schmidt, Micheal Foucault

Mbembe theory speaks on the heritage, dynamics & origins of

colonialism

Mbembe theory speaks on the

end of Europe’s central role in the world

Mbembe counter argument

Fanon - 3rd world should start their own history

Fanon on the standard self-image of the west

perceived inventor & guardian of human rights & democracy

Mbembe on democracy

colonial exploitation

Mbembe’s colonial exploitation

a sinister bg of a Hobbesian war of all against all

to cover up it’s violent nature, democracy needs

mythology, ‘enemies’, 3rd places (colonies, plantations, hidden refugee camps)