I support your interpretation too.
Søren
Fra: Stephen C. Rose [mailto:[email protected]]
Sendt: 9. juni 2014 14:57
Til: Edwina Taborsky
Cc: Jon Awbrey; Phyllis Chiasson; peirce-l@list iupui. edu
Emne: Re: [PEIRCE-L] Re: NYTimes : From China, With Pragmatism
Well done, Edwina. S
@stephencrose<https://twitter.com/stephencrose>
On Mon, Jun 9, 2014 at 8:46 AM, Edwina Taborsky
<[email protected]<mailto:[email protected]>> wrote:
I think that it was a naive and ignorant article and as such, because it was
written out of ignorance, not worthy of 'total despair'!
I think that the author is unaware of the difference between a tribal and a
civic society. The former, and China fits in here, operates within the network
and ties of kinship obligations. The latter, which the West moved into
centuries ago, operates, legally at least, by rejecting the privileges or lack
of kinship bonds and focusing instead as per the Magna Carta and Declaration of
Independence, on human equality.
This has nothing, absolutely nothing, to do with 'pragmatism'. It's pure
tribalism; you claim the surgeon, for example, as a member of your clan by your
financial tribute to his skill; his accepting the tribute shows that he accepts
the patient into 'his tribe'. Both become members of the same family clan.
Nothing, nothing, to do with pragmatism, which would be viewed, I think, as
unethical because pragmatism shows no respect for 'the clan', for 'the family
obligations'.
Absolutely nothing to do with the notion of 'god' as the author tries to claim:
"By contrast American ethics (and foreign policy) is still too religious in its
perspective, and even our democratic traditions are asserted with dogmatic
gusto. As it's been pointed out many times, someone who thinks he has God on
his side is capable of almost anything."
Then, another aspect is missing. The Chinese, for the most part, are still
deeply superstitious and, in a way, quite nominalistic! The words you use are
considered important in effecting the result; that's not pragmatism; that's
superstition and suggests, if I may say, a lack of Thirdness!!!. The colours
you use, the sounds, the location of a house or window....all have 'power' to
make things happen.
And another aspect - corruption. You don't get anything done in China without
that red envelope. That's not merely in the hospitals - and in this communist
socialist nation you pay for your medical care - but to get a bureaucratic
result - a form, a registration, a visa, a...you must take the Boss Man out to
dinner and hand over that red envelope. Corruption can't be redefined as
pragmatism.
Edwina
----- Original Message ----- From: "Jon Awbrey"
<[email protected]<mailto:[email protected]>>
To: "Phyllis Chiasson" <[email protected]<mailto:[email protected]>>
Cc: "peirce-l@list iupui. edu<mailto:peirce-l@list%20iupui.%20edu>"
<[email protected]<mailto:[email protected]>>
Sent: Monday, June 09, 2014 8:00 AM
Subject: [PEIRCE-L] Re: NYTimes : From China, With Pragmatism
Yes, thankfully few of them saved me from total despair.
Jon
http://inquiryintoinquiry.com
On Jun 9, 2014, at 1:05 AM, Phyllis Chiasson
<[email protected]<mailto:[email protected]>> wrote:
Did you read the comments following the piece?
Jon Awbrey <[email protected]<mailto:[email protected]>> wrote:
good grief, what tripe ...
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