What Do We Owe Each Other? By Aaron James Wendland

It’s a set written by Aaron, a researcher from the University of Tartu in Estonia, co-editor of some books. He mainly focused on the issues of philosophers and other critics as per their concerns towards emerging laws which came into existence during the time’s number of refugees entering Europe had increased.

PART ONE

DEFINITION

This case arose as a result of the restrictions against refugees’. Various laws and debates were formed in correspondence to this in Europe. And in the United States where concern for nationality had emerged. As a result, WHAT DO WE OWE EACH OTHER regarding their need, possession among other issues arose. Levine whose one of the Philosophers involved in this issue stood out to condemn this forms claiming it excludes human from others.

RELATIONSHIP

WHAT DO WE OWE EACH OTHER has been an issue in the minds of people, great philosophers for that matter? It is clear people are subjected to sufferings and fear as a result of the restriction upheld to live with others. However, this is something another being can prevent. Human is united as a community only if they can see the need of others and correspond to it. What exactly do we owe others if not protection, care and provision per their sufferings?

COMPARISON

UNITED NATIONS has held a debate on nationality in correspondence to Refugees. Europe building boundaries for restricted refugees from entering. These two cases agreed upon are meant to reduce the number of refugees coming into those countries. For example, Germany emphasized fence boundaries due to Islamic states attacks assault of women in Germany creating fear of others. This affected people not related to the nationality of those nations thereby hindering them in regards security and fear. However, Emmanuel Levine’s challenges people on the need of humanity. We are defined by what we do to others. This seems not to be considered by the nation the primary concern is to reduce various attacks and fear suspected to have emerged as a result of the unknown welcomed in those nations

TESTIMONY

Emmanuel Levinas, the philosopher whose family was killed by The Nazis during his arrest, had defended humanity among human by emphasizing on the relations of one human to their ability to see and provide for what others need and want. He emphasized this is three different ways both direct and indirect ways. The necessity if helping others by the heart of hospitality. Need of protecting others and seeing them as part of us and finally pointing out dangers of nationality. Emphasizing that this shouldn’t be used as a form of personal identity since it creates a hostile environment for other. These if not considered, will lead to increased human sufferings. He asserted it that Peace is primary to all but can only be shown as per how we welcome and treat refugees who are I need of our hospitality. He added in his work “Ethnicity and Infinity”, that God is the face of a human, anything we do reflect what we are expected of by God. Welcoming and sharing what we have with others is what will, in turn, define us.

PART TWO

He uses Levine’s views of concern and worries.Levina is a philosopher from a Jewish family in Kaunas born in 1906.He moved to France in 1923 and studied philosophy in Germany (1920). He became famous in 1930 for his stand of defending Husserl’s. He was drafted into the French army and later taken to prison by the Nazis but was not subjected to the camps. However, his family was killed. He so felt motivated to discuss ethical relations between human beings and their ability to respond to the needs of others. His assumptions are divided into different ways. DANGER OF NATIONALITY; Nationality is the result of identification as per how we differed and familiarized ourselves with others. This identification does exclude others making us believe others do not form p part of us hence excluding other people. Although it’s a unifying factor, He indirectly explained by pointing out GENERALIZATION AND TOTALIZATION which compel one human from the other. Moreover, he put into account NECESSITY OF WELCOMING asserting God’s presence in the face illustrating human vulnerability. As that which defines human only if one can protect and show hospitality to others Hospitality is the urge of welcoming others and giving them what they want and need. Though we may lack to provide to all, at least we can offer what we can. PROTECTING OTHERS is another concern derived from his assumptions. Claiming that his possibility of living is based on what we give to others in correspondence to human sufferings.

NATURE AND DANGER OF NATIONALITY; Nationality is the result of identification as per how we differed and familiarized ourselves with others. According to Emmanuel Levine’s, People identifying themselves through nationality does exclude others killing the need for humanity. Although it’s a unifying factor, Levine’s goes ahead and mention the fact that GENERALIZATION AND TOTALIZATION exist as a result of nationality.; People are generalized as one as per their nationality identification they are Totalized and viewed as one as per what distinguishes them from others. These two results into stereotyping descriptions of groups thereby producing a rift between one group and another. He went ahead and supported this by pointing it out that humanity is more of seeing other people as more of which category they belong to. One can be a British but is a father, husband and an inventor of the technology. He says one shouldn’t be defined by his nationality but rather by who they are.

CRITIQUE

I do disagree with Levines assumption on Nationality identification as promoting inhumanity in correspondence to what we owe other. Reason being, it’s a form of unity and what define people of a given nation as one. Patriots’ of a country are united together despite their different cultures, politics, language and traditions. If need be, Humanity can be implied among citizens through diplomacy and giving it a sharp concern during World organizational forums debates, e.g. the United Nations meetings. Refugees are concern requiring discussions especially now that it is profoundly rejected by various stations increasing harm to human existence.

WORKS CITED

Levinas, Emmanuel, and Philippe Nemo. “Ethics and infinity.” (1985).