Go the bloody hard way.
Ludwig Wittgenstein
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| Jean Guitton |
An author that we no longer read, that's what Catholic that was Jean Guitton, who died in 1999 at the ripe old age of 98 years. The French philosopher, however, is the author of a series of books remarkable for their lucidity.
In a liberal society like ours, where the diversity of beliefs and values reign supreme, " tolerance, openness to others, respect the opinions of others, the search for peaceful coexistence of the historic compromise, fortunately replaced the pipes intolerance, contempt for the other, of proscription, exile and ostracism "wrote Guitton (1). But today, the trend reversed, and it is the Catholics who are objects of contempt and exclusion. (2) In the eyes of many, the sex scandals afflicting the Catholic Church marks the end of this institution equally moribund immoral. In Quebec, the anticlerical which, inter alia, condemned the "dark ages" of years marked by Duplessis, are calling for a charter on secularism. Marie-Michelle Fish, president of the Quebec Secular Movement, casts the curse on Charles Taylor, our national philosopher, because of its position "anti-Enlightenment and Catholics. (3) Already in his time, they cast an anathema Guitton on. " One of my teachers told me," he wrote he accepted all philosophies, with the exception of 'Christian philosophy': the Christian can not sincerely seeking the truth, since he already has. "
A Christian philosopher is more to a kind of oxymoron. Bertrand Russell (1870-1970) argued for example that Thomas Aquinas (1225-1275), arguably the greatest thinker of the Catholic Church, does not deserve the title of philosopher. "There are , writes Russell at Thomas Aquinas little true philosophical spirit ." We read in the monumental History of Western Philosophy (1945), British philosopher and add :
Unlike Socrates of Plato, who went where the argument was leading him, Thomas Aquinas was not looking for anything since he knew in advance the truth, that of the Catholic Church. However, the admission of a truth known in advance is not philosophy. So I can not admit that he deserves to be placed on a par with the best philosophers, both in Greece and in modern times.
Ruling Russell was later authority. Yet it is curious, if Russell is right, that all philosophers moderns have moved heaven and earth to rebut the Thomistic philosophy. Moreover, contrary to rumor, it is Aquinas who, on several key points, established the doctrine of the Catholic Church rather it had to comply. Finally, it is highly probable that the enormity of the decision (bias) on Russell Thomas Aquinas as a philosopher due to his radical atheism. It seems clear that what Russell accuses Aquinas, namely that it supports arguments whose conclusion is already established in advance, Russell himself falls under its own conviction. Lord Russell handled like no other art of shooting ourselves in the foot.
Guitton was he intolerant because Catholic? He replies without hesitation: " ... every man worthy of the name is intolerant like me, that is to say, uncompromising on the essentials ... This character of intransigence that I recognize, I honor my opponents. "(Ibid., p. 76). Guitton not compromise the truth for example. In this regard, therefore, he confesses to be "intolerant" - which itself is odious to the ears of a Liberal. He explains in the second chapter of his book on the essentials Silence on the truth. Why today's world, wonders Guitton, he abandoned the truth? Here's his explanation.
When we eliminated the truth in its objective sense, then we can honor the more subjective truth: delightful illusion that we live by, which allows us to support each other. No longer seek the agreement of subject with object, however, seek the consent of the subject itself. Call it: the sincerity. And, therefore, seeking criteria of truth, substitute the search criteria of sincerity. The truth of a law imposed from outside substitute inner truth, with people changing. And now call tolerance this mutual respect of our contradictions, which provides both inner peace and comfort. ( Ibid., P. 23-24 )
What Guitton described here is precisely the foundation upon which modern liberal society where truth is sacrificed to advantage of the sincerity . Guitton kissing his penetrating gaze on the meaning of our existence "liberal." "I'm here the heart of the fundamental problems ." He notes. (Ibid. p. 27) Given this disaffection with the truth, Guitton, a Christian, do not defend the truth for the impose on the other, but to unite him. " What I have, what you are looking with hope or despair, I want to give it to you - not to condemn you but to unite us ." Indeed, if, as a believer, the Christian has a duty to truth, It mainly has a duty of charity which consists in sharing with each other the truth. In this regard, Thomas Aquinas held the charity - today we are talking rather solidarity - as the most important of the three theological virtues say, with faith and hope. In fact, the practice of charity (Greek: a gape ), according to Aquinas, faith (Greek: pistis ) proves excellent (Greek: arete, excellence). St. Paul goes on to say that "when I faith (pistin) the fullest, one that moves mountains, if I lack of charity (agapèn) I am nothing. "(1 Corinthians 13 2).
Guitton will not only emphasize that sincerity has now replaced the truth. The American philosopher Harry G. Frankfurt will offer a similar analysis, yet more powerful in many respects. Thus, in his essay resounding The art of bullshitting ( is Bullshit ) reads:
The contemporary proliferation of bullshit (bullshit) has sources even deeper into the various forms of skepticism which deny any possibility of access to an objective reality and therefore know the true nature of things. These doctrines "antirealist" undermine our confidence in the value of disinterested efforts to distinguish truth from falsehood, and even in the intelligibility of the notion of objective inquiry. This loss of confidence has resulted in abandonment of the discipline necessary for anyone wishing to devote themselves to the ideal of correctness in favor of a different sort of discipline: one that requires the ideal alternative sincerity. Instead of trying to achieve an accurate representation the world, the individual tries to give an honest representation of himself. Convinced that reality has no inherent nature, he might hope to identify as the true essence of things, it tries to be faithful to his own nature. It is as if the assumption that being faithful to reality makes no sense, he decided to try to be faithful to himself ... The sincerity, so it's bullshit (bullshit ) (4).
The pitch, according to Frankfurt must be distinguished from a simple lie. The fast-talking ( bullshitter ) does not seek so much to say false, but it is not true. In fact, the pitch would be a particular kind of lie, even if not strictly speaking a lie in good and due form. Give some examples of bullshit from hot news to illustrate what it is.
In the case of the exploitation of shale gas, representatives of the oil and gas industry, including the Government of Quebec and André Caillé, do not wish in any way a moratorium on gas exploitation. The government and André Caillé simply wish to continue the operation already in progress of shale gas. They do not want to know the truth about it. Their defense of the gas industry is a prime example of bullshit. They do not care about the truth or even the hide. This is not their intent. In this sense, this is not so much liars as talkers. Let us not condemn André Caillé as liar since he is very sincere in his approach. His intention is not to lie, to say the wrong, his intention, which is very sincere, is to remove all obstacles hindering the development of shale gas industry, development is presented as a moving train that can not stop. It is true that the development of this industry has the wind in your sails. The Charest government and curd does not lie in this regard. However, they bluff by letting us believe that since this is so, the process of gas exploration is on, it is perfectly absurd to stop in its tracks irresistible.
Make a final example of bullshit. Consider the slogan Retail Store Canadian Tire " For days like today . Advertising does not lie, because you must hear "today" as any day, any time when you come to the store. It is always good to eat, basically. Advertising has obviously a fake but not the intention to lie or to hide the truth. The intention is to make us believe that it is always a good time while assigned to eat, whereas if the consumer has some hesitation in this regard, since they must dissipate so stellar configuration is always conducive to shopping.
This culture of bullshit, omnipresent, is part of sincerity which became, in our liberal societies, the heir to the default truth. Liberal society does not grow as the lie that bullshit. The bombastic speeches praising the human rights, the primacy of the individual against the community, tolerance, respect for self and others, are the current liberal claptrap.
Allow me to mention again in this one book blogger case, that the new course Ethics and Religious Culture (RCT), in place since September 2008. It has not, in fact, best example illustrating the pitch of the liberal culture that shines through in his resignation before the truth and whose trademark is a concern for sincerity inversely immodest.
Out of respect for self and others, the truth and that his research program are excluded from RCTs. What we do in this research program is to help students identify their values and beliefs and to recognize those of others. In sum, students will respect each other while respecting the bet being that you can in this way ensuring the common good, living together, peaceful coexistence. not live together well and happiness that accompanies it, since happiness is the private matter of each. However, this central objective of ECR is based on the central premise of liberal sincerity towards himself, his values and beliefs, the truth being excluded from the process. What matters in the end, is sincerity and adherence to the one or the one you are. It is the Know thyself Socratic discharged from the grueling test of truth. The only requirement is that the man or woman that one is in all sincerity and authenticity must respect what the others are. That's where the liberal ideal of sincerity plays a central role. However, as we do not pass through the test of truth, the rest of the liberal ideal pitch.
André Caillé and the Charest government has the right to believe in all sincerity development of shale gas industry, as citizens have the right to think sincerely that this industry is against the values of safety of people and respect the environment. That is the liberal ideal of sincerity at work. But without a moratorium on the issue of exploration of shale gas, this whole debate is just bullshit.
Guitton he was being intransigent intolerance towards the truth? From the liberal perspective, certainly, since he was claimed to possess the truth instead of enough to believe in all sincerity to what he adhered. But the liberal viewpoint is just bullshit and nothing more. If, as Frankfurt writes, "the baratineur conceals the fact that he gives little weight to the veracity of his statements: we can not guess that his aim does not consist in telling the truth nor to conceal "The fast-talking liberal, responsible, believed to hold the truth, while silent about it. There is no sales pitch more sordid than that.
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NOTES
(1) Jean Guitton, Silence on the essential , Desclée de Brouwer, 1986 75.
(2) For the particular case of France, consult Rene Raymond, Christianity in charge. Interviews with Marc Leboucher , Desclée de Brouwer, 2000.
(3) Marie-Michelle Fish, "Discomfort with Charles Taylor, the site of the MLQ to http://www.mlq.qc.ca/cite-laique/numero-10 / discomfort-with-charles-taylor /
(4) Harry G. Frankfurt The art of bullshitting , 10/18, p. 73 75.
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NOTES
(1) Jean Guitton, Silence on the essential , Desclée de Brouwer, 1986 75.
(2) For the particular case of France, consult Rene Raymond, Christianity in charge. Interviews with Marc Leboucher , Desclée de Brouwer, 2000.
(3) Marie-Michelle Fish, "Discomfort with Charles Taylor, the site of the MLQ to http://www.mlq.qc.ca/cite-laique/numero-10 / discomfort-with-charles-taylor /
(4) Harry G. Frankfurt The art of bullshitting , 10/18, p. 73 75.
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