Comments on: Either People Have Rights or They Have Uniforms http://kerryhowley.com/2008/07/14/either-people-have-rights-or-they-have-uniforms/ Thu, 11 Mar 2010 23:28:11 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 By: Rich http://kerryhowley.com/2008/07/14/either-people-have-rights-or-they-have-uniforms/comment-page-1/#comment-781 Rich Tue, 12 Aug 2008 15:35:57 +0000 http://kerryhowley.com/?p=118#comment-781 Joseph Raz's position is grossly mischaracterized in the quoted post. Note that even in the uncontextualized quotation presented, Raz states that what is in everyone's interest is to be integrated into "a cultural group" (emphasis on the 'a'). Thus, Galileo would have benefited from being integrated into a group of likeminded empirically oriented scientists even if that cultural group existed in the midst of a broader culture which it was not in his interest to belong to. Similarly for the other examples mentioned. Also, Raz's conception of culture is more clearly defined than that used by many anthropoligists, though it does admit an important degree of openness as well. Note the following passage from Raz's response to Susan Moller Okin: "Once a culture becomes one among several, within a closely integrated political and economic system, practices which used to shape opportunities may come to restrict them. And they may conflict with aspirations legitimately encouraged by the larger society within which members of that community live. It is a mistake to think that multicultural measures can counteract these facts. Nor should they try. They should not aim to preserve the pristine purity of different cultural groups. They should aim to enable them to adjust and change to a new form of existence within a larger community, while preserving their integrity, pride in their identity, and continuity with their past and with others of the same culture in different countries." The full article is available online at The Boston Review's website: http://www.bostonreview.net/BR22.5/raz.html Joseph Raz’s position is grossly mischaracterized in the quoted post. Note that even in the uncontextualized quotation presented, Raz states that what is in everyone’s interest is to be integrated into “a cultural group” (emphasis on the ‘a’). Thus, Galileo would have benefited from being integrated into a group of likeminded empirically oriented scientists even if that cultural group existed in the midst of a broader culture which it was not in his interest to belong to. Similarly for the other examples mentioned.

Also, Raz’s conception of culture is more clearly defined than that used by many anthropoligists, though it does admit an important degree of openness as well.

Note the following passage from Raz’s response to Susan Moller Okin:

“Once a culture becomes one among several, within a closely integrated political and economic system, practices which used to shape opportunities may come to restrict them. And they may conflict with aspirations legitimately encouraged by the larger society within which members of that community live. It is a mistake to think that multicultural measures can counteract these facts. Nor should they try. They should not aim to preserve the pristine purity of different cultural groups. They should aim to enable them to adjust and change to a new form of existence within a larger community, while preserving their integrity, pride in their identity, and continuity with their past and with others of the same culture in different countries.”

The full article is available online at The Boston Review’s website:
http://www.bostonreview.net/BR22.5/raz.html

]]> By: Robert http://kerryhowley.com/2008/07/14/either-people-have-rights-or-they-have-uniforms/comment-page-1/#comment-695 Robert Tue, 15 Jul 2008 12:24:47 +0000 http://kerryhowley.com/?p=118#comment-695 Great essay! I enjoyed it so much I ordered Strange Fruit, the book from which it's taken. Great essay! I enjoyed it so much I ordered Strange Fruit, the book from which it’s taken.

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