Taking Stories Seriously: Richard Rorty and Human Rights

Kód výsledku v IS VaVaI

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Výsledek na webu

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DOI - Digital Object Identifier

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Jazyk výsledku

angličtina

Název v původním jazyce

Taking Stories Seriously: Richard Rorty and Human Rights

Popis výsledku v původním jazyce

This paper deals with the influence of stories on our approach to human rights. In this context, it analyses the philosophy of Richard Rorty whose name is associated with the most important attempt in this respect. This philosopher refuses to seek the foundation of human rights but instead emphasizes the development of the human rights culture. In his view, the way to develop this culture is hidden in sentimental education. It consists of telling sentimental stories to influence our approach to human rights. The paper summarizes the critique of this concept. The problem is that the success of sentimental education implies that people share the ability to feel pain and have a good degree of empathy. The meaning of norms is then that they are available in situations where our degree of empathy is insufficient or completely missing. It therefore appears that this concept can only work within a very narrow framework. For these and other reasons, Rorty is highly criticized in a philosophical context. The author of the paper, however, raises the question if such context is appropriate for understanding Rorty’s work. Rorty himself categorizes philosophy into systematic and edifying. Both have different goals, while the latter allows a more lenient assessment of his ideas. And it is this category that we should classify Rorty in. The final part of the paper is devoted to a general reflection on the role that stories can play in our human rights acceptance. Different forms of storytelling are undoubtedly an important part of our lives. However, it is not appropriate to absolutize them. They can be an interesting addition, but not the core of human rights theories.

Název v anglickém jazyce

Taking Stories Seriously: Richard Rorty and Human Rights

Popis výsledku anglicky

This paper deals with the influence of stories on our approach to human rights. In this context, it analyses the philosophy of Richard Rorty whose name is associated with the most important attempt in this respect. This philosopher refuses to seek the foundation of human rights but instead emphasizes the development of the human rights culture. In his view, the way to develop this culture is hidden in sentimental education. It consists of telling sentimental stories to influence our approach to human rights. The paper summarizes the critique of this concept. The problem is that the success of sentimental education implies that people share the ability to feel pain and have a good degree of empathy. The meaning of norms is then that they are available in situations where our degree of empathy is insufficient or completely missing. It therefore appears that this concept can only work within a very narrow framework. For these and other reasons, Rorty is highly criticized in a philosophical context. The author of the paper, however, raises the question if such context is appropriate for understanding Rorty’s work. Rorty himself categorizes philosophy into systematic and edifying. Both have different goals, while the latter allows a more lenient assessment of his ideas. And it is this category that we should classify Rorty in. The final part of the paper is devoted to a general reflection on the role that stories can play in our human rights acceptance. Different forms of storytelling are undoubtedly an important part of our lives. However, it is not appropriate to absolutize them. They can be an interesting addition, but not the core of human rights theories.

Druh

D - Stať ve sborníku

CEP obor

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OECD FORD obor

50501 - Law

Projekt

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Návaznosti

S - Specificky vyzkum na vysokych skolach

Rok uplatnění

2017

Kód důvěrnosti údajů

S - Úplné a pravdivé údaje o projektu nepodléhají ochraně podle zvláštních právních předpisů

Název statě ve sborníku

Argumentation 2017. International Conference on Alternative Methods of Argumentation in Law

ISBN

9788021088399

ISSN

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e-ISSN

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Počet stran výsledku

12

Strana od-do

39-50

Název nakladatele

Masaryk university

Místo vydání

Brno

Místo konání akce

Brno

Datum konání akce

1. 1. 2017

Typ akce podle státní příslušnosti

WRD - Celosvětová akce

Kód UT WoS článku

000429766100003