Philosophical Perspectives on Society, Ethnocentrism, and Culture
Philosophical Views on Human Nature and Society
Humans are social by nature. According to Aristotle, man is a political animal, requiring society and culture to develop skills. Humans are beings with needs that can only be fulfilled within society, allowing them to reach perfection and happiness. Living in society is a requirement of human nature; only an animal or a god can do without it. Humans alone can live in society because they are endowed with reason and a moral nature, which forms the basis of society.
Competing Theories: Hobbes and Rousseau
Hobbes: Man as Wolf
Hobbes argued that in a hypothetical original state, human beings live in chaos, driven by selfishness and in constant struggle. Their only natural impulse is self-preservation and the satisfaction of needs. Reason leads them to adopt an agreement to establish a strong authority, ideally a freely elected leader, to create a society that can live in peace.
Rousseau: The Noble Savage
Rousseau posited that man is naturally solitary and, while not initially needing society, is driven by natural piety toward his fellow man. He believed humans are good by nature, and life in society is possible and positive for human development when structured as an egalitarian community. The appearance of private property and selfishness threatens peaceful coexistence, turning human beings into evil. The solution is a just society based on the consent of all, oriented toward the common good.
Ethnocentrism, Cultural Relativism, and Interculturalism
Ethnocentrism: A Critical Look
Ethnocentrism analyzes other cultures from the perspective of one’s own, using it as the standard to assess others. This lack of comprehension for those who do not share the same way of life, combined with a strong sense of cohesion within the group, can lead its members to feel superior and adopt a paternalistic attitude. Ethnocentrism can manifest as xenophobia, racism, chauvinism, and aporophobia.
Cultural Relativism: Understanding Differences
Cultural Relativism seeks to analyze different cultures from their own values, not from an alien culture, and recommends tolerating different cultural expressions. However, it has limitations: it does not promote dialogue between cultures, and it can lead to risks such as the belief that the best way to preserve cultures is through separation, a romantic exaggeration of positive aspects of other cultures, and cultural paralysis due to a static view of culture.
Interculturalism: Bridging Cultures
Interculturalism builds upon respecting other cultures but overcomes the shortcomings of cultural relativism by proposing a meeting between different cultures on an equal footing. Interculturalism aims to:
- Recognize the plurality of our society and our world.
- Understand the complexity of the relationship between different cultures.
- Promote dialogue between cultures.
- Assist in finding answers to global problems.