What an Idealist

As a religious studies major, I find myself reading many texts that are liberation theologies and demand that certain justice and equity be extended to all humans. That said, when I come into contact with these philosophies I end up reading them with strange joy (for every reading, mostly) at seeing the same principles of hope and reciprocity laid out in these mini treaties, with variations, of course. But each call for some form of justice much clearer, I would suggest, than what we see today. That is, of course, because many set up ideal societies (like Plato) and they worked only because that philosopher made them work. All of this is relevant, I promise, because I saw this same situation working in David Hume, though I sense something very real and workable about his philosophy.

In Hume's ideal society, he does not rely on the mos intelligent or Wise individuals to become rules as did Plato, but instead chose to hold individuals accountable for establishing justice. His ideal society is set up only to contrast our real society, I believe, and to illustrate, perhaps, how we might look if we can work to achieve his goals. "The mind is so enlarged, and so replete with friendship and generosity, that every man has the utmost tenderness for every man, and feels no more concern for his own interest than for that of his feels" (Hume, 134). Justice is needed because we mess things up by worrying so much about our own personal interests and forget about the rest of humanity. Frederick Lassalle's ideal fourth class and the Jewish bourgeoisie of Imperial Germany embody the notion that if we care about neighbor and the "other" as much as we care about "self" we shall see improvement and, in time, have no further need for justice. What a concept (note sarcasm). I realize this is an Idealist notion, but is that not part of the purpose of these readings; to understand justice and to mobilize ourselves in this place and time to create change? Sure, we find ourselves in modern shipwrecks on a daily basis and ask ourselves, "Do I help my neighbor reach shore or do I, the more fit and deserving, make it myself and have more of the island's resources for myself," for example. When we study for an exam with friends or classmates, we always have a secret hope that we understand concepts better, will answer more elegantly, and set the curve for exams. We look upon our friend as "other," in many ways, and hope to excel beyond them. This bothers me so very much and I can scarcely explain why. Must be consistently be the best? The Guardians of our respective worlds, as Plato would have it? Or is it possible that we can embrace this small portion of Hume's work that he surely did not intend to be used in such a way so that "The whole human race would form only one family; where all would lie in common, and be used freely, without regard to property" (135)? It isn't fully possible, I understand, to be so benevolent that we no longer need justice, but why do we refuse to at least try?

Since my perfect world cannot exist and justice must be considered, how do we become fully just, developed individuals? Hume has a really delightful statement that I believe holds much truth, nothing that "the more we vary our views of human life, the newer and more unusual the lights are in which we survey it, the more shall we be convinced, that the origin here assigned for the virtue of justice is real and satisfactory" (138). This resonates with with the sympathetic strings when one is playing a string instrument. When one string vibrates, the vibrations cause others strings to also vibrate and justice becomes clearer as a result of this resonance. When we understand others and their positions and lots in life, we can more appropriately apply justice to their lives. Sally McFague, in Life Abundant, talks about a concept of "Wild Space," the places in our lives that don't fit nicely with those of everyone else's. They act as a window that can open our eyes and consciousness to other lifestyles, beliefs, and experiences. For each experience we have that gives us more insight (for example, being black, lesbian, disabled, gay, diseased, dying, or losing a child), we are able to better understand humanity as a whole, but especially individuals (McFague, 48). Perhaps this is the call that I make using this bit of Hume's writing: that we all seek to open ourselves to be resonators of the difficulties and oppressions of others and that we exact justice for those individuals that cannot speak for themselves or even see that injustices are being done to them.

When do we stop being descendants of the superior civilized Europeans that believe that we can take whatever we covet? It should not be the case that "whatever we covet they must instantly resign; Our permission [must not be] the only tenure by which they hold their possessions" (Hume, 138). What we must do, however, is allow our kindness and our understanding to be the first checkpoints for whether justice is being served or not. We must quit seeing ourselves as individuals and work together as a whole to lift those around us instead of seeking personal glory or property. "Boundaries of Justice wstill grow larger in proportion to the largeness of men's views and teh force of their mutual connections. Histoyr, experience, reason sufficiently instruct us in this natural progress of huan sentiments, and in the gradual enlargement of our regards to justice, in proportion as we become aquanted with the extensive utility of that virtue" (Hume, 140).

So, in my quest to apply these philosophies to my own life, today and each day after, I will seek to feel at least a little of what others feel. To wait for the slowest, for sooner or later we will all catch up with the fastest. I will promise to feel at least a little of the pain I have caused my enemies and to understand, in return, why our perspectives have differed. To feel oppression saves us from being oppressors and giving when we have abundance will, I hope, ensure that we have providers when the world has given us cold misfortunes.

Let us be strings that are willing to resonate sympathetically.