Mark Wrathall: a Philosophical Pluralist

MARK WRATHALL: A PHILOSOPHICAL PLURALIST MARK WRATHALL: UN FILÓSOFO PLURALISTA MARK WRATHALL Uni e si y o Cali o nia MARTA FIGUERAS [email p o ec ed] Uni e sidad Au ónoma de Ba celona JOAN MÉNDEZ jmendez@a pc.es P esiden e de la Asociación de Filoso ía P ác ica de Ca aluña RECIBIDO: 14/06/2012 ACEPTADO: 31/07/2012  Ma a Figue as – Joan Méndez Ma k W a hall is p o esso o Philosophy a he Uni e si y o Cali o nia, Ri e side. His wo k ocuses on phenomenology, exis en ialism, he philosophy o popula cul u e, and he philosophy o a . He is conside ed a leading in e p e e o he philosophy o Ma in Heidegge . And he is au ho o books like How o Read Heidegge (2005) and Heidegge and Unconcealmen : T u h, Language, His o y (2010). P o esso W a hall is cu en ly edi ing The Camb idge Companion o Heidegge ’s Being and Time ( o hcoming 2012), and inishing up a book manusc ip on Heidegge ’s la e wo k. Philosophy is o en c i icized, a leas in Eu ope, o being oo heo e ical. And o e he las cen u y, i seems o ha e been con ined o uni e si y class ooms. Now, a a ime when he agmen a ion o socie y and i s alues lead back o a e lec ion on he meaning o exis ence, he p ac ical aspec o philosophy eco e s he impo ance i had a i s o igins. In his con ex , wha use is philosophy? HASER. Re is a In e nacional de Filoso ía Aplicada, nº 4, 2013, pp. 171-179 MARK WRATHALL – MARTA FIGUERAS – JOAN MÉNDEZ 172 Ma k W a hall Pa o he p oblem wi h ou wo ld is ha we a e so ins umen ally minded. We alue hings o he ex en ha we can pu hem o use, exploi hem, commodi y hem, and make hem eadily a ailable o use and consump ion. In ha con ex , I hink pa o he use o philosophy is ha i is useless. I ’s no a science, and i won’ help us unde s and how o p edic and explain he causal in e ac ions o any domain o objec s. I ’s no a echnology, and i won’ help us o con ol and domina e objec s. Some would make philosophy in o he “handmaid o he sciences,” and ake as i s ask he eaching o c i ical easoning skills, he cla i ica ion o concep s, he de elopmen o ules o easoning. Bu he jus i ica ion o his es s ul ima ely on es iges o he analy ic/syn he ic dis inc ion, and he idea ha he e is a kind o concep ual analysis and easoning p ocess ha is pu e o any empi ical con en . The e’s no eason why scien is s can’ each he kind o hinking ha ’s needed in he empi ical sciences, and do i in a way ha ’s ecep i e o and ailo ed o he demands o empi ical esea ch wi hin hei speci ic domain. So e en his claim o a special use ulness o philosophy is suspec . Wha philosophy is e y good a , by con as , is ques ioning ou assump ions abou such hings as use and use ulness, abou ou d i e o ins umen alize he wo ld. This is jus an example, bu whe e he sciences seek o explain an objec , b eak i down, econ igu e i , ende i lexible and a ailable o eady use, philosophy asks why we eel an u ge o unde s and, explain, con ol, and econ igu e he wo ld. I use ulness is measu ed by he ex en o which one ad ances such in e es , philosophy is o en he mos useless o disciplines. And, in ac , his oldes o ep oaches agains philosophy – ha i “co up s he you h” – is a ecogni ion o his ac . And despi e all his, people come o philosophy o explo e hei sense (usually a ague, ina icula e and inchoa e sense) ha some hing’s no igh wi h he p e ailing ways we make sense o he wo ld. I i ’s li ing up o i s p omise, philosophy will help hem make sense o his conce n. Ma a Figue as – Joan Méndez Wha would you say ha philosophy has b ough in you own li e, beyond becoming an academic occupa ion o p o ession? HASER. Re is a In e nacional de Filoso ía Aplicada, nº 4, 2013, pp. 171-179 MARK WRATHALL: A PHILOSOPHICAL PLURALIST 173 Ma k W a hall Th ough p ac ice in any discipline, he wo ld eaches us how o see hings in a new way. Pain e s expe ience colo and o m and composi ion in he wo ld a ound hem di e en ly, as a esul o p ac ice in pu ing he isual wo ld on can as. Ca pen e s see g ains and colo s and ex u es di e en ly as a esul o b inging o m o wood. I suppose ha philosophe s see meanings and ideas and jus i ica o y o in e en ial ela ionships in a way ha o he s do no . I li e in cons an wonde a he backg ound o meaning, he “logic” o exis ence ha shapes he hings and e en s I encoun e . I’d say ha being a philosophe en iches my expe ience o a , o human e en s, o mo ies, o music, o lo e and iendship. Beyond ha , philosophy has gi en me he pe ec excuse o spend my ime in con e sa ion wi h in e es ing people in in e es ing places a ound he wo ld. Ma a Figue as – Joan Méndez Wha kind o philosophy is p ac iced in he U.S.? Is he p ac ical aspec o his discipline being emphasized? Ma k W a hall I’m a aid ha , o mos o he pas cen u y, philosophy in he U.S. has been e y much emo ed om he ac ual li es o people. Analy ic philosophy, which is he p e ailing mode o philosophy in Ame ica, p ides i sel on i s clea and igo ous s yle. And he le el o echnical p o iciency in much o analy ic philosophy is indeed e y imp essi e. Bu he eali y is ha , wi hou ex ensi e aining in philosophy, i ’s e y di icul o mos people o unde s and wha ’s a s ake in he analy ic con e sa ion. Now I’m a philosophical plu alis . I hink i would be a mis ake o anyone o y o dic a e ha philosophy should be done in his way o ha ; ha i mus deal wi h hese issues o hose; ha i mus employ his me hod o ha ; ha i mus adop a pa icula s yle. I would be a p o oundly unphilosophical a i ude o y o dic a e such hings. And s ill, I wo y ha philosophy is no doing enough o d aw he b oade communi y in o he con e sa ion. Philosophy has a unique con ibu ion o HASER. Re is a In e nacional de Filoso ía Aplicada, nº 4, 2013, pp. 171-179 MARK WRATHALL – MARTA FIGUERAS – JOAN MÉNDEZ 174 make as we g apple wi h he impo an issues o ou gene a ion, and i would be a g ea shame i philosophe s we e o wi hd aw om he ay, o o speak only o each o he . Ma a Figue as – Joan Méndez So, I I unde s and co ec ly you wo ds, you’ e de ending, in ac , he p ac ical aspec o philosophy, as he unique use ha philosophy could ha e is, maybe, hinking abou “ he impo an issues o ou gene a ion”. Is ha igh ? Ma k W a hall Some o hem, yes. I hink he mos impo an issues o each gene a ion a e he ones ha challenge inhe i ed p ac ices and assump ions and ways o hinking. You migh call hese “ hough p o oking” challenges, because hey dis up ou usual ways o dealing wi h he wo ld and o ce us o hink. I suspec ha he unique con ibu ion o philosophy is in aining us o endu e in hough ulness – o linge in hese momen s o b eakdown, a he han ying o e u n as quickly as possible o a mindless way o managing he si ua ion. F om he pe spec i e o calcula i e a ionali y, which wan s o igu e ou how o con ol any si ua ion as e icien ly as possible, i is p ecisely ha endency o endu e in hough ulness ha makes philosophy appea so useless. And so philosophy (along wi h he o he humani ies), is inc easingly called upon o p o e ha i can make a con ibu ion o he la ge global- echnological- economic o de . I can’ help bu see his demand as an upda ed e sion o he oldes and longes s anding accusa ion le el led agains philosophe s. This accusa ion is ha philosophe s, a om be e equipping hei s uden s o unc ion in socie y, “co up he you h” This is a se ious accusa ion, o no jus any possible way o o ming a pe son’s disposi ions, disc imina o y capaci ies and as es amoun s o an educa ion – i is o cou se possible o o m a pe son in such a way ha he o she is less, no mo e, able o ac in acco dance wi h wha he si ua ion calls o . The opposi e o an educa ion is a co up ion, whe e co up ion is a way o o ming an indi idual so as o unde mine o des oy his o he skills, disc imina o y capaci ies, and as es. And I’ e essen ially acknowledged in wha I’ e said o his poin ha an educa ion in hinking HASER. Re is a In e nacional de Filoso ía Aplicada, nº 4, 2013, pp. 171-179 MARK WRATHALL: A PHILOSOPHICAL PLURALIST 175 is almos by de ini ion co up ing. Heidegge , oo, has acknowledged as much: “we o oday especially can only lea n i weal ways a he same ime unlea n. . . . We can only lea n o hink i we unlea n om he g ound up wha hinking’s essence has been up un il now.” Bu one should also dis inguish wo ypes o co up ion – one ype o co up ion eplaces unde s anding wi h a lack o unde s anding; ano he ype o co up ion eplaces one kind o unde s anding wi h ano he kind o unde s anding. O o pu i mo e p ecisely, a philosophical co up ion eplaces a sense o wha ’s impo an in he wo ld, wi h a sensibili y o he con ingency o he wo ld. By he s anda ds o calcula i e hinking, such a Philosophical co up ion may well p oduce a disu ili y. I will almos ce ain make us less e icien , and hus educe he alue o ou s uden s o he global- echnological economy. Wha an educa ion in hinking does o e is a highe es ima ion o he digni y o human beings. We a e he beings who can ake esponsibili y o ou way o being in he wo ld, a he han being d i en by exigencies o e iciency, lexibili y, and op ionaliza ion. Ma a Figue as – Joan Méndez Do you hink i is good o y o popula ize philosophy? Wha isks do you see in he ac o ying o b ing philosophy o he public? Is ha app op ia e? Necessa y? Ma k W a hall I d aw a dis inc ion be ween he ins i u ion o philosophy and he p ac ice o philosophy. Fo he ins i u ion o philosophy – he depa men s, esea ch cen e s, socie ies, con e ences, he jou nals and publishing a ms o uni e si y p esses – I hink he e’s a isk oday i we don’ popula ize philosophy. Uni e si ies and g an ing agencies a e mo e and mo e ocused on quan i a i e, demons able economic e u ns on hei in es men s. I’m no su e his is a game ha he ins i u ion o philosophy can win. I he ins i u ion is o su i e, i needs o shine – i needs o a ac and d aw people o i , and show ha i ma e s in a way ha isn’ easy o acknowledge wi hin a s aigh o wa d cos -bene i analysis. Fo he p ac ice o philosophy, on he o he hand, I do hink ha he e is a isk in ying o popula ize philosophy. Some philosophe s wo y abou HASER. Re is a In e nacional de Filoso ía Aplicada, nº 4, 2013, pp. 171-179 MARK WRATHALL – MARTA FIGUERAS – JOAN MÉNDEZ 176 “wa e ing down” philosophy, abou making i dumb enough o public consump ion. Bu ha is no o me he conce n. Fo me, he wo y is ins ead he emp a ion o educe philosophy o a menu o “posi ions” o iewpoin s ha can be aken up wi h espec o any pa icula p oblem. The p ac ice o philosophy li es in a landscape ha is un amilia o e e yday, public o ms o li e. O , o be mo e p ecise, philosophy h i es in expe iencing he amilia and well- od pa hs o e e yday li e as un amilia , as in i ing new esponses, as opening up on o p e iously unseen is as. The p ac ice o philosophy in ol es a en a i e, hal ing ques ioning ha esis s he emp a ion o all back on amilia concep s and ca ego ies. In my expe ience, i wo ks bes amongs a small g oup o in e locu o s, who us each o he and a e no a aid o make mis akes, o be co ec ed, o wande in o a dead end and pains akingly e ace hei s eps, e c. This p ac ice is e y di icul o main ain in a public se ing. Ma a Figue as – Joan Méndez This eminds me o he Kan ian asse ion: "You canno lea n philosophy, can only lea n o philosophize." Ma k W a hall Tha ’s e y well pu . Philosophy is a p ac ice. I ’s an a i ude. I ’s a way o explo ing and disclosing he wo ld. The momen i becomes a se o p oposi ions ha one can lea n, o a me hod ha one can apply o mulaically, i ’s no longe philosophy – i ’s dogma o science. Ma a Figue as – Joan Méndez Me aphysics is pe haps one o he b anches o Philosophy ha could p o ide mo e ligh on he loss o he o iginal meaning o exis ence, as la en (and so isible) oday. F om wha pe spec i e you a e wo king so heo e ical aspec bu a he same ime, so essen ial o ou p ac ical li e? Ma k W a hall Yes, I ag ee. Fo hose who a e conce ned abou he emp iness and banali y o con empo a y li e, I hink a me aphysical inqui y in o he s uc u e o exis ence can be qui e illumina ing. My own hinking o en u ns a ound his e y issue. I’m cu en ly in ol ed, o ins ance, in HASER. Re is a In e nacional de Filoso ía Aplicada, nº 4, 2013, pp. 171-179 MARK WRATHALL: A PHILOSOPHICAL PLURALIST 177 ying o ge clea abou di e en ways o expe iencing empo ali y. The na u e o empo ali y is a e y adi ional me aphysical issue, bu philosophe s end o ocus on he empo ali y o causal in e ac ions. This misses comple ely he way ha ime s uc u es he spaces and ac i i ies o e e yday li e. When we a e wi h iends and lo ed ones, when we a e wo king, when we a e a a music conce , when we expe ience he sac ed, when we a e los in hough o ememb ance – each o hese expe iences in ol es a di e en way o ela ing ou in ol emen in he momen wi h ou ecollec ions and an icipa ions. And hey a e incompa ible wi h he inc easingly pe asi e empo ali y o con empo a y li e - he empo ali y o consump ion, o expe imen ing wi h (bu no commi ing o) op ions, o mul i- asking. Ma a Figue as – Joan Méndez Do you hink eading Ma in Heidegge ’s wo ks could help us o analyze he ac ual momen o ou socie ies? In which sense? Ma k W a hall I e u n again and again o Heidegge ’s diagnosis o he pa hologies o ou echnological age. I hink Heidegge was way ahead o e e ybody in ecognizing and seeing wha ’s going on in ou wo ld. The e is no ques ion ha mode n echnology has b ough emendous bene i s o human beings. Technology has con ibu ed o d ama ic inc eases in heal h and weal h as i has imp o ed he supply o he basic commodi ies o li e – housing, ood, clo hing, as well as medicines, heal hca e. In addi ion, de elopmen s in echnologies o anspo a ion and communica ion ha e en iched ou li es by b inging a ie y and opening up endless op ions o en e ainmen . Ye many people eel an ambi alence abou echnology, a ce ain malaise in he p esence o he inc easing echnologiza ion o e e y aspec o ou li es. This ambi alence is cap u ed nicely in a VCU Li e Sciences Su ey on public a i udes owa d echnology. In yea a e yea o he su ey, app oxima ely 90% o Ame icans ag ee ha “scien i ic esea ch is essen ial o imp o ing he quali y o human li es,” and abou he same pe cen age hold ha , “on he whole, de elopmen s in new echnology helped make socie y be e .”And ye app oxima ely 50% o Ame icans HASER. Re is a In e nacional de Filoso ía Aplicada, nº 4, 2013, pp. 171-179 MARK WRATHALL – MARTA FIGUERAS – JOAN MÉNDEZ 178 su eyed consis en ly hold ha “scien i ic esea ch has c ea ed as many p oblems o socie y as i has solu ions.” Mo eo e , he b oad consensus iew ha science and echnology imp o e li e becomes much mo e di ided when ques ions we e asked abou speci ic echnologies like gene ic he apy. In e es ingly enough, he su ey posed he ques ion in e ms o when “science goes oo a .” 94% hough i would be “going oo a ” o use bio echnology o change a baby’s eye and hai colo , o ins ance. And 54% e en belie ed i was “going oo a ” o use gene ic he apy o educe a baby’s isk o se ious disease. 61% said hey would be unlikely o use gene ic he apies o slow down he p ocess o aging (e en hough 92% said hey belie ed ha “new echnology used in medicine allows people o li e longe and be e ”). In a mo e pe sonal, anecdo al le el, many people I alk o exp ess a eeling o opp ession in he ace o echnology. They ha e eeling d i en o check email cons an ly, and ye hey can’ esis he u ge. Wi h conside able guil , iends will epo episodes o u ning in o in e ne su ing zombies – waking up om a cybe -coma o ealize hey’ e was ed a day o a nigh . We eel, in a my iad o small and sub le ways, ha echnology has in aded domains in which i doesn’ eally belong, and om which i de ac s. This ambi alence owa d echnology – his eeling o malaise e en in he ace o he undeniable bene i s ha echnologiza ion has b ough – poin s o some hing impo an abou ou echnological age. On Heidegge ’s accoun o echnology, he malaise is oo ed in on ology – in a sense ha we a e dis o ing ou sel es and he en i ies we encoun e in he wo ld by imposing on hem a mode o being ha doesn’ le hem be in he way ha is mos he i own. The p oblem wi h echnology is a p oblem o bounda ies – o ecognizing wha en i ies a e allowed o be he i own by echnology, and wha en i ies a e no ; and hen ha ing he es ain (Ve hal enhei ) no o o ce non- echnological en i ies in o a echnological ame. Heidegge calls he abili y o espec such bounda ies “ha ing a ee ela ionship o echnology”. I amoun s o lea ning o esis he demands o echnology – indeed, o being no longe e en subjec o hese demands whe e hey would be inapp op ia e. HASER. Re is a In e nacional de Filoso ía Aplicada, nº 4, 2013, pp. 171-179 MARK WRATHALL: A PHILOSOPHICAL PLURALIST 179 Ma a Figue as – Joan Méndez I ag ee. Bu …when you alk abou Heidegge , I no ice you alk abou he la es o his wo ks. Wha ’s abou he on ology ha Heidegge designs in Being and Time, o example. Is i also use ull in his con ex o p ac ical philosophy? Ma k W a hall Yes, I hink so. The way Heidegge analyzed he empo ali y o e e yday exis ence in Being and Time lies a he oo o a lo o he hings I’ e been saying he e. And i ’s also a opic o some o my cu en wo k. Jus one example – I’m e y in e es ed in he idea ha di e en ways o o ganizing ime gi e ise o di e en expe iences o space. I spoke las all a a con e ence in Rome de o ed o he p oblem o p o ec ing sac ed spaces. I ound Heidegge ’s accoun o empo ali y o be e y use ul he e. The e is a pa icula empo al pa e n ha go e ns equipmen al con ex s – when I am using ools and aw ma e ials o cons uc an objec , o example, I am o ien ed owa d he u u e by way o a de ini e expec a ion o wha is going o esul om my ac ions. Bu ha kind o expec a ion is no compa ible wi h an expe ience o he sac ed in a holy place o ca hed al o mosque o wha e e . To be open o an expe ience o he sac ed, one mus be eady o be dis-o ien ed, o ha e one’s expec a ions al e ed. Tha sugges s ha he p o ec ion o sac ed spaces equi es us o no in oduce hem in o an economy o use, o hink o hem as somehow con ibu ing o he quali y o li e. The sac ed can’ emain sac ed i i is u ned in o an op ion, and commodi y ha o e s a pa icula quali y o aes he ic expe ience. HASER. Re is a In e nacional de Filoso ía Aplicada, nº 4, 2013, pp. 171-179