首页
登录
职称英语
Ever since it appeared on the cultural scene, the Enlightenment has had its
Ever since it appeared on the cultural scene, the Enlightenment has had its
游客
2023-11-16
22
管理
问题
Ever since it appeared on the cultural scene, the Enlightenment has had its passionate critics. Philosophers as well as politicians have criticized its rationalism, its individualism, its cosmopolitanism, its faith in science and technology, its humanism, and its lack of respect for established traditions. Some have criticized individual aspects of it, others have condemned it in its entirety. At times Enlightenment thinking was all but eclipsed, as during the later part of the period of literary Romanticism, while at other times it resurfaced with renewed vigor. In varying ways it has had a challenged and challenging presence in Western thought to this day.
In recent decades Enlightenment thinking has been the target of critical endeavors once more. This time it is its individualism and cosmopolitanism that have come under persistent attack from various quarters, together with its attempt to find and formulate universally valid norms and values. Anti-Enlightenment initiatives have surfaced inside the United States as well as worldwide. They are often launched in the name of "multiculturalism", "ethnic identity", the supposed importance of "roots", and the general importance of "difference" as opposed to people’s common humanity. With respect to social integration, advocates of ethnic separateness prefer cultural and racial "salad bowls" to the traditional American "melting pot."
At issue is the Enlightenment idea that ideally every individual should not only have the right, but even the obligation to determine for himself or herself who he or she wants to be, what sort of life he or she wants to live, or with whom he or she wants to associate more closely. An individual, in other words, should not be obliged by any group to adhere to "his" or "her" religion, ethnicity, race, or social tradition, but be allowed and encouraged to make personal choices in all these regards — in effect be entirely free of any such particularistic determinations, if that seems best to the person in question. Essentially individuals are not seen by Enlightenment thinkers as members of particular groups, but as "citizens of the world," as unencumbered inhabitants of a polity that is governed by laws that in principle are valid for all human beings.
People will, of course, be bora into specific communities that may be distinguished from each other by various racial or cultural traits. But these distinguishing traits are not particularly important, according to Enlightenment thinking — not nearly as important as that which all human beings have in common, namely reason. While Enlightenment theoreticians will acknowledge or even welcome variety among human beings, they are far more serious about what potentially unites them, and about what should accrue to them on account of their common humanity.
If in most societies — often after long and costly battles — laws have been passed which prohibit discrimination on the basis of race, creed, gender, or national origin, then an important Enlightenment principle has been realized? the principle that every individual is first a human being, and only secondarily a member of particular groups. And while recognition of one’s common humanity may not necessarily be in conflict with being a member of any particular group, the principle demands that if there is a conflict, then people’s common humanity takes precedence over any particularity. What is important, in other words, is not that I am Christian, Black, or Sioux, but that I am a human being, and that as such I have certain basic rights? the right of self-determination most prominently among them. Any attempt on the part of any group to declare their particularity as primary vis-a-vis someone’s basic humanity is an outdated prejudice, and an infringement on a person’s basic rights, as far as Enlightenment thinking is concerned. Particularism and its divisiveness — all too often the cause of contempt, hatred, fanaticism, and wars — is essentially a thing of the past. Progress consists in the ever growing realization that all human beings are fundamentally the same, and that their important needs and rights as individuals are universal. [br] The Enlightenment thinkers are deeply concerned about______.
选项
A、what kinds of communities, people are born into
B、the various traits of races and cultures
C、what makes people so various
D、what brings people together
答案
D
解析
细节理解题。从第四段可得知。启蒙时期的思想者们承认人类出生在不同的社会全体中,承认由此造成的文化、种族等差别,但是这并不是他们关心的重点,他们真正关心的是是什么使得不同的人聚集在一起。故答案A、B、C都不正确。从此段中最后一句话可得出答案。
转载请注明原文地址:https://tihaiku.com/zcyy/3192513.html
相关试题推荐
America’sCulturalCapital—ACenterreportthatcallsuponthePresident
ACross-culturalPhenomenonThereapp
ACross-culturalPhenomenonThereapp
Itisnotsomuchthelanguage______theculturalbackgroundthatmakesthebook
The______ofaculturalphenomenonisusuallyalogicalconsequenceofsomephy
After______seemedanendlesswait,thearrogantsuperstarappearedontothepr
The______ofaculturalphenomenonisusuallyalogicalconsequenceofsomephy
Culturalnormssocompletelysurroundpeople,sopermeatethoughtandacti
Culturalnormssocompletelysurroundpeople,sopermeatethoughtandacti
Culturalnormssocompletelysurroundpeople,sopermeatethoughtandacti
随机试题
英国人的矜持和美国人的张扬体现在文学作品中。通过分析过去一个世纪英语书籍的数字化文本,可以得出这样的结论:【T1】自20世纪80年代以来,美国书籍中传达
Whenweplayagame,weenjoywhatwearedoing,______weshouldnotplayit.A、
May,7,2009
JobseekersinBritainsayemployersare【B1】______applicants’degreesandce
高校教师价值观是()。A.在实践过程中形成的 B.在价值认识基础上形成的
假设某一时刻股票指数为2290点,投资者以15点的价格买入一手股指看涨期权合约并
患者,女,40岁。精神抑郁,表情淡漠,神志痴呆,语无伦次,不思饮食,舌苔腻,脉弦
框架结构震害严重部位多发生在( )。 A、框架柱 B、框架梁 C、楼
共用题干 一般资料:张某,男性,23岁,某公司员工。案例介绍:外出学习三个月归
界定通信市场的两个核心要素是产品要素和()要素。A.地理区域 B.价格 C.
最新回复
(
0
)