A quote from the ‘Theory of Moral Sentiments’.
Can we make comparisons today?
With thanks to John O'Brien for sharing this poem.
Aristotle feared that democracy might become the rule of the mob, the demos. He saw their short-sighted, wilfulness as a threat to good order.
John O'Brien shared the following Mohawk prayer of thanksgiving.
An aphorism
Citizenship must be rooted in local experiences of active engagement.
The Paideia Proposal was an educational reform plan proposed by Mortimer Adler in the USA.
The struggle for democracy offers us a parallel to the struggle for welfare reform.
Mervyn Peake's novel ‘Mr Pye’ is a wonderful fable on the perils of do-goodery.
We each need the difference of one another.
Our duty to look after our own interests is right and proper.
Lessons from ‘The Declaration of Independence’.
A quote from Hannah Arendt on the importance of concentration camps to totalitarianism.
The important judgements about society, about ourselves and about others are moral judgements.
We don't always understand what is in the interests of other people nor can we always trust our own values or ideals.
Biblical Social Justice Theory.
We need to move away from models of public policy that treat citizens as if they were merely subjects.
The idea that sufficiency is equal to wealth may seem paradoxical.
We are not worthy to judge. Only God can judge. So we must presume our own unworthiness: we must put ourselves last.
The best support lifts people up as equals - not from above, not from below - but alongside.
This story reveals a theme which runs through moral philosophy. Are we motivated to act rightly because of duty itself or because of external influence or fear?
A prayer for forgiveness.
The modern doctor evokes respect and awe, mixed with some fear and suspicion.