Simon Grigorian
Professor Wexler
English 114B
10 March 2011
The ideologies of world freedom have a deep philosophical immediacy that categorize under the Aristotelian argument. Freedom is the essential goal most humans fight for. Its ideologies create an immediacy like non-other. If you were to think about world freedom, you would have a small picture in your mind of what it would feel like. But deep inside the picture lie meaning, emotion, and life that is hidden but true. The idea of Transparent Immediacy gives the idea of world freedom a new perspective. A perspective that shows how action with aid of others, is needed throughout the world to make the world a better place to live in. In a religious point of view one could say that freedom is achieved through simple tasks that can change the world. In a scientific view one could argue that “The first and, to a certain extent, most fundamental argument for the freedom of science is based on the anthropological premise that the human being is curious by nature, is searching for knowledge and asking what holds the world together at its core” (Bayertz 378). But is freedom really being achieved, after knowing more about it? Are we really free? Through recent surveys I have seen that only 46% of the world is considered free, where 20% is considered partially free (Freedom of the World, 2010). Through a Newspaper article from the year 1975, there was research showing that a total of 42% of the world population is considered free where only 23% was considered partially free. Can this 4% difference mean anything? The fact that the % increases as years come by, is the world’s freedom still constant or can 4% is a gradual difference? Sometimes people have the answer to a freedom, but only through careful reasoning, can we find the truth.
As a Christian exemplary Rev. Gerald Kennedy, president of the Council of Bishops of the Methodist Church, and by Prince Hubertus Zu Lowenstein, historian and former German Bundestag member, have created a contributions list that is said to help launch a freedom offensive in the world. Bishop Kennedy cited four ways that the Christian faith has contributed to our outlook and values (Launching of world freedom drive urged). 1-Its insistence upon the value of the individual and the right of private judgment. 2-Belief in a God who has something on His mind, which in turn leads to a faith in progress. 3-Belief in the sanctity of the common life, in which a man’s work contributes to the kingdom of God. 4-A conviction that is teachings bring results and therefore make a difference in the lives of individuals and society. These lists of steps taken by the Christian community may at first seem simple enough to create stability around the world. But its transparent immediacy goes beyond just a set of rules to change the world. The human being itself must first be changed emotionally in the reasoning that Christianity is the right step in life where by following God peace can be achieved. Through my perspective and reasoning, one cannot bring freedom into one’s life by trying to covnert them to the belief of God, in order to bring peace. In my opinion the first step the Christian community took is one that can be agreed upon different perspectives, but contradicts with the rest of the list. The insistence upon the value of the individual and the right of private judgment should not make anyone be pressed in having belief of God. Everyone has their own perspective in how things should be run in the world. This is why there is so much suffering in the world. Everyone wants things in their own way, and when someone or something is in the way, as a last resort, violence and war shows its ugly face. I guess in a way, we must first philosophically think about what freedom really is. In a scientific view of freedom, “The first and, to a certain extent, most fundamental argument for the freedom of science is based on the anthropological premise that the human being is curious by nature, is searching for knowledge and asking what holds the world together at its core. The locus classicus, where this guiding conviction was formulated, can be found in the introductory words of Aristotle's "Metaphysics", which state that "All men by nature desire to know, as is indicated by the love we have for our senses, even apart from their practical uses” (Bayertz 378). And in the same paragraph Bayertz conclusion, is based on the rational nature of the human being and innate need for knowledge and truth, out of which the hypothesize of scientific freedom is then interpreted as, the Aristotelian argument. The Aristotelian argument suggests that there is three ways to persuade someone. Rather than leaning towards war, using the Aristotelian argument by persuasion of logos, pathos and ethos, we can help each other understand our problems.
The Aristotelian argument can in some way be categorized under transparent Immediacy of world freedom. Through freedom, we experience the logic (logos), the leadership (ethos), and emotions of others (Pathos), we can understand the pain of others. In that same sense, result in helping each other rather than fighting for our needs. For example, if we were not to understand the need of others, we cannot know why that person or people act the way they do. If we take away scientific freedom from someone, it is taking away the human right to think beyond religion and reasoning. Bayertz states that, from a liberal perspective one will have to say that discrediting science as a "vice" or "evil" may be a legitimate stance, but nevertheless, it is one that is irrelevant to the problem of scientific freedom. In a liberal society, every individual must have the freedom to pursue even those activities that are regarded by some as "vice" and "evil"; the satisfaction of whichever impulses and needs is a legitimate right as long and in as far as it is compatible with the analogous rights of others (Bayertz 380). Science was considered evil until we understood through time, and after our logos, pathos, and ethos reasoning of science we are able to understand it and now accept it. There are many other things in this world that is ignored, and that is why we cannot get passed through violence.
The survey reports show that as time goes by, as the world becomes more complicated, and advanced, we take little time into understanding each other. We see things as a picture that explains it all. But the ideologies of world freedom are not the hypermediacy we see. The ideology of world freedom goes into in-depth reasoning of transparent immediacy that follows the reasoning of the Aristotelian argument. This is the future now, and we need to think like this is a world of more advanced ages, and that our years of history, and logic can help us avoid violence. The movie 300, depicts the titanic clash in which King Leonidas (Gerard Butler) and 300 Spartans fought to the death against Xerxes and his massive Persian army. This is an example of the past, where civilizations had no option or power to go to war against corrupt minds. Some can argue that what gives us power now? One for example, is fear. The fear of USA having nuclear bombs in reserve, threatens other parts of the world to stay at ease; for a nuclear war would cause a massacre, and neither side of the opposing forces would have fought for their cause. Xerxes, wanting to take the freedom, and land of other races, gave the Spartans, no option but to fight. The past is the history of uncontrolled corruption. This is the future now, and we can learn from the past. We can learn from our leaders, and history, such as Aristotle, Plato, and our World Wars. There is a cliché that states “history repeats itself”. But in truth, we let history repeat itself because we don’t think beyond the box, rather we think in the past. This is transparent immediacy of the ideology of world freedom. We see world freedom as a form of hypermediacy, rather than realizing the reality of world freedom, and understanding the steps to take to help form it.
Work Cited
Asali, Ziad. "Washington must not be a global policeman or dictators' patron Read more: http://www.dailystar.com.lb/article.asp?edition_id=10&categ_id=5&article_id=125589#ixzz1GBBuzncK (The Daily Star :: Lebanon News :: http://www.dailystar.com.lb)." Daily Star 4 Mar. 2011: n. pag. Web. 7 Mar 2011. <http://www.dailystar.com.lb/article.asp?edition_id=10&categ_id=5&article_id=125589#axzz1GBAwQz00>.
Bayertz Kurt. Ethical Theory and Moral Practice, Vol. 9, No. 4 (Aug., 2006), pp. 377-398
Launching of World Freedom Drive Urged :Christianity's Contributions to Civilization Told at Opening of Institute of Affairs. (1960, December 12). Los Angeles Times (1923-Current File),32. Retrieved March 10, 2011, from ProQuest Historical Newspapers Los Angeles Times (1881 - 1987). (Document ID: 451123962).
“Freedom of the World" Ask the Editors. Infoplease. © 2008 Pearson Education, publishing as Infoplease. 8 Mar. 2011 <http://www.infoplease.com/world/statistics/freedom.html>.
Survey Finds World Freedom Slipping. (1975, February 5). Los Angeles Times (1923-Current File),p. b12. Retrieved March 10, 2011, from ProQuest Historical Newspapers Los Angeles Times (1881 - 1987). (Document ID: 602682132).
300. Dir. Snyder Zack. Perf. Butler Gerard. Warner Bros, 2003. DVD.
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