EDITORIAL: Beyond History: Envisioning the Future of a Healthy Planet. What Are the Conceptual Tectonics for Global Relations Among Peoples?

• Authors: Campbell Jean
• Languages of publication: EN

Abstracts

EN

The World Congress of Philosophy held in Rome, Italy in August 2024 was extraordinarily successful with more than 5,000 participants from countries spanning the globe. Papers for the Round Table with topic Beyond History: Envisioning the Future of a Healthy Planet. What are the conceptual tectonics for global relations among peoples? were presented by a panel representing at least three different countries, specifically Nigeria, Peru and the United States, which was a requirement of the congress for each round table, insuring a truly international composition: Participants: Columbus Ogbujah, Nigeria; Victor J Krebs, Peru; Martha Beck, Jean Campbell and Daniel Krieglstein, USA. With the exception of Daniel Krieglstein, whose presentation was based on a slide show, the papers of this panel are included in this issue. Taken as a group, their work draws on the wisdom of all times and all places to explore principles for cooperative life among peoples globally. Ancient (Socrates et al.) and modern (Immanuel Kant, Bertrand Russell et al.) thinkers and contemporary (Hilary Putnam, Timothy Snyder et al.) research provide analysis and models for our efforts to resist the centralized control made possible by the advanced technologies of our age. Knowledge is incremental while faith is immediate. How can we learn the humility required to respect each other and the precious gift of life? How can coordinated effort replace the violence of war? The imperatives of liberty and cooperation to counteract both material and intellectual control and domination in the basic spheres of education, satisfaction of needs and spiritual life are articulated. Through a masterly historical review of competing interpretations of business ethics, Columbus Ogbujah poses the essential foundation of a holistic approach, permeating all basic human activities with scope far outside the limited arenas aligned with the compartmentalization of the issues examined. In this way virtue ethics is considered through the unity of social organization, reaffirming the need for Aristotle’s cultivation of human excellence in all areas of endeavor. With explorations of the notion of face, Victor Krebs challenges the traditional understandings of ontology to open the possibility for direct interrelationships beyond those bound by human consciousness and representation. Building on thework of Graham Harman, among others, he poses the prospect of connecting more directly to the “complexity of matter and our deep entanglement within its ever-unfolding web.” Given the current epidemics of disease plaguing all parts of the world, Martha Beck revisits the Greek Olympic models for a healthy mind in a healthy body. Aristotle’s formulation of flourishing is adopted as the standard against which these various corruptions are exposed. Professor Beck invokes the original liberalism of Ancient Greece for insights to attain unity of a sustainable life now. Jean Campbell’s contribution reflects on the dangers of centralization of the creation and management of the flows of money at the foundation of global commerce. Oddly, Lord Bertrand Russell anticipated such centralization due to potentials of technological innovation as early as the 1950s. She stresses the importance of actions made in good faith and honesty as antidotes to the widespread corruption in these spheres which has so widely been tolerated. Introducing the principle of relativity formulated by Einstein as an analogy for differing perspectives, Daniel Krieglstein considers ways polarized viewpoints can be put forward and interpreted in the context of an active dialogue. He also postulates the need for especially cultures with a most local profile and reach to have a digital presence to help maintain their identities and presence going into the future. Consult the panel’s papers in the following pages for further examination of these issues. It was more than gratifying to connect in Rome with other scholars of the world sharing this interest.

• Publisher: Instytut Filozofii i Socjologii Polskiej Akademii Nauk; Fundacja Filozofia Na Rzecz Dialogu
• Journal: Dialogue and Universalism
• Year: 2025
• Issue: 1
• Pages: 5-6

Contributors

author

Campbell Jean

• New York University