Education, English

What Do We Owe Each Other By Aaron James Wendlock

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

Part I

Definition

This case emerged as a result of form to the restrictions against refugees. Various laws and debates were formed in Europe in correspondence to this. In the United States, concern for nationality has emerged. As a result, WHAT DO WE OWE EACH OTHER in terms of their need, posession among other issues arose. Levine, who is one of the Philosophers involved in this issue, stood out to condemn this form, claiming it excludes humans from others.

Relationship

WHAT DO WE OWE EACH OTHER? This has been an issue in the minds of people, great philosophers for that matter. It is clear people are subjected to suffering and fear in accordance with the restriction to live with others because they thought not to be like them. These philosophers, Emmanuel to specify, emphasized that the sufferings of others are something other humans can prevent. Humans are united as a community only if they are able to see the needs of others and correspond to them. What exactly do we owe others if not protection, care and provision per their sufferings?. This is an issue compelling humans from their being.

Comparison

UNITED NATIONS has held a debate on nationality in correspondence to Refugees. Europe is building boundaries to restrict refugees from entering. These two cases agreed upon are meant to reduce the number of refugees entering the mentioned country. For example, Germany put emphasis on fence boundaries due to the Islamic State’s attacks on women in Germany, creating fear in others. This affected people who were not related to the nationality of those nations, thereby affecting them in terms of security and fear. However, Emmanuel Levines challenges people to meet the needs of humanity. We are defined by what we can do and how we treat other people; thus, it seems not to be considered the nation’s main concern is to reduce various attacks and fears suspected to have been a result of the unknown welcome in those nations.

Testimony

Levines, a philosopher whose family was killed by The Nazis during his arrest, had defended humanity among humans by emphasizing the relations of one human to their ability to see and provide for what others need and want. He emphasized this in three different ways, both direct and indirect ways. The necessity of helping others in accordance with the heart of hospitality as a need, the need to protect others and seeing them as one or part of jus and finally pointing out dangers of nationality emphasizing that this shouldn’t be used as a form of personal identity for by this, it creates hostility to other not included. These, if not considered, will lead to increased human suffering. He asserted that peace is primary to all but can only be shown by how we welcome and treat refugees who are in need of our hospitality. He added that God is the face of humans; anything we do reflects what we really want for God. Welcoming and sharing what we have with others is what will, in turn, define us.

Part II

He uses Levinas’s views of concern and worries. Levina is a philosopher from a Jewish family in Kaunas who was born in 1906. He moved to France in 1923 and studied philosophy in Germany (1920). He became popular during the 1930s for his stand of defending Husserls. 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 were killed. This motivated him to bring in the concept of ethical relations between human beings and their ability to respond to the wants and needs of others. His assumptions are divided into different ways. DANGER OF NATIONALITY: Nationality is the result of identification as per how we differ and familiarize ourselves with others. This identification does exclude others, making us believe others do not form a 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 takes into account the necessity of WELCOMING, asserting God’s presence in the face and illustrating human vulnerability as that which defines humans only if one is able to protect and show hospitality to others. Hospitality is the urge to welcome others and give them what they want and need. Though we may lack to give to all, at least we are able to give what we can. PROTECTING OTHERS is another concern derived from his assumptions. He claims that the possibility of living is based on what we give to others in correspondence to human suffering.

Nature And Danger Of Nationality

Nationality is the result of identification regarding how we differ and familiarize ourselves with others. According to Emmanuel Levinas, people identifying themselves through nationality excludes others, making us believe others do not form part of us, thus showing no concern for other humanity. Although it’s a unifying factor, Levinas goes ahead and mentions the fact that GENERALIZATION AND TOTALIZATION exist as a result of nationality.; People are generalized as one based on their nationality identification. They are totalized and viewed as one, which is what distinguishes them from others. These two results in stereotyping descriptions of groups, thereby producing a rift between one group and another. He went ahead and supported this by pointing out that humanity is more of seeing other people as more of which category they belong to. One can be British but is a father, husband, and inventor of the technology. He says one shouldn’t be defined by his nationality but rather by who they are.

Critique

I disagree with Levine’s assumption that nationality identification promotes inhumanity in correspondence to what we owe others. The reason is that it’s a form of unity and what defines the people of a given nation as one. Patriots of a nation are united together despite their different cultures, politics, languages, and traditions. If need be, humanity can be implied among citizens through diplomacy and by giving it a sharp concern during world organizational forum debates, e.g., the United Nations meetings. Refugees are a concern requiring debate, especially now that it is highly rejected by various nations, increasing harm to human existence.

According to him, Human beings are defined by what they can do to others as far as care and love are concerned. Hosting and creating a conducive environment for others is what determines our personal identity. Language is the main mode of communication, and to Levina, it shouldn’t be used as a labeling of who others are. It should be perceived as what makes the entire world as one. In failure to consider humanity in us, we are creating boundaries just like the physical boundaries and the barbed wire restricting others from seeking help from us.

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