File spoon-archives/heidegger.archive/heidegger_2003/heidegger.0309, message 105


Date: Fri, 12 Sep 2003 23:37:14 +0100
From: Jan Straathof <janstr-AT-chan.nl>
Subject: Re: Godt, Wahrheit und Amerika


On the 11th Michael Eldred wrote:

>The US-led invasion of Iraq and subsequent occupation perhaps one of the most
>generous acts toward the Iraqi people and the whole region. Here seems to
>be an
>instance where US self-interest forces the US to pursue a universal
>interest. If
>just ten per cent more girls in the Islamic world from Marocco to
>Indonesia get
>some school education, that is already a step forward. Is this the "cunning of
>reason" (Hegel), das Allgemeine, das sich durch das Besondere hindurch
>durchsetzt (the universal that asserts itself through the particular)?

But Michael do you honestly believe that a military attack on Iraq will
improve the opportunities for education of girls in the Islamic world ?
Please explain to me how you see this mechanism suppose to work. I
have been a teacher for more than 30 years now and think to know a
little about the history of public education. And i can assure you that
there is strong consensus among educational scientist that the main
conditions for the establisement of a successful structure of public
education are: political stability and economical prosperity. As yet,
i am totally unconvinced that this war will bring any political stability
or economical prosperity to Iraq nor to the whole region. Why ?
Because -and this i see as their real blunder- the US and its allies have
no real plan whatsoever, not a political nor an economical one. They
even lack a proper military exit-strategy. To see the workings of Hegel's
"cunning reason" in this foolish military adventurism is quite a stretch
for me. But with you, of course, i hope for further developments in the
strucure of public education in the Islamic world, but my opinion is
that they (iraqis, maroccoans, indonesians) must do that themselves as
free and sovern peoples. In the first place it's their job, not ours; all we
can do is offering support or criticism.

>Strange things happen to people, perhaps one of the most destinal for
>humankind
>was what happened to Abraham and Moses. Unheimlich (creepy). Believers
>believe,
>the faithful have faith. That has consequences beyond just holding to one's
>opinions. Human beings hold the world to be, each in their own way. This
>is part
>of the Jemeinigkeit der Existenz (unique mineness of existence).

This summer i read an interesting book called "The Bible Unearthed"
by Finkelstein & Silberman [2002]. It's about the latest archeological
evidence for the accuracy of the sites, tales and persons in the Old
Testament. It reveals i.a. that figures as Abraham and Moses are mythical
inventions, and that the main structure of the text of the OT was compiled
in the times of King Josiah (700 BCE). The purpose of writing this book
was in fact purely political, i.e. the rulers of the (new) kingdom of Judah
needed tools and symbols for their identity formation and nation building:
the temple and the text.

yours,
Jan

Hoelderlin in Menschenbeifall:

"An das Goettliche glauben
    Die allein, die es selber sind."

(Same are those who believe in the devine,
    As being devine themselves.)





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