CONTEMPORARY ISSUES of debate in SOCIAL PHILOSOPHY

1. CONTEMPORARY ISSUES of debate in SOCIAL PHILOSOPHY Dr. D Nesy Prof & Head Dept. of Philosophy, University of Kerala, India.

2. Why Social Philosophy? • Our goal is a healthy, happy and satisfactory life based on values and ideals. • Peace, freedom, justice and welfare of all peoples is our dream • Science and technology has given prodigious mechanical power and material prosperity. • Debates on the gap between the factual and the normative, ‘is’ and the ‘ought’, the way in which society has been functioning and how it should function are important in this context.

3. I. Multiculturalism “ Products are conceived in one country, designed in another, manufactured in a third using components from half a dozen others and sold world wide. Relationships between organizations and individuals in different countries are not only those of supplier, customer and competitor but of ownership, partnership and alliance, of advisor and facilitator”.

4. Implications.. • People from different cultural and religious backgrounds • People who do not understand one another’s patterns of thought • Are required to work together in constructive and harmonious partnerships • Where mutual trust is very much in need • Respect for the marginalized and minority groups and the problem of language.

5. 2. Science and Technology • “The world has achieved brilliance without wisdom, power without conscience. Ours is a world of nuclear giants and ethical infants. We know more about war than about peace; more about killing than we know about living”.

6. 3. Environment • Are we morally obligated to respect the environment? • What obligations do we have to the future generations? • Anthropocentrism versus non-anthropocentrism or Bio-centrism or Eco-centrism?

7. 4. Equality and Justice • Normative foundations of equality and justice • Justice when resources are scarce and recipients are many. • Question of development- quantitative / qualitative • Human development, sustainable development or alternative development

8. Equality and Justice… • Changing role of religion. • Development • Peace • Not in war and conflicts.

9. Case I Clinical Trials in India • The Drugs and Cosmetic Industry in India earned a revenue of $70 million in 2004 and is expected to be $1 billion in 2010. • In January 2005 the Drugs and Cosmetic Act was amended to allow multi-centric trials to be conducted in India. • “Next big thing after IT” but it is forgotten that IT deals with inanimate computers and peripherals but CT involves humans.

10. Problems.. • Ineffective Institutional Committees (IES) • Informed Consent • Patient Protection • Money Factor • Post Trial Commitments

11. Case 2. Environment • Indian concept of family: not necessarily nuclear, provides vital support in practical, material and psychological realms and forms our most important social duty and obligation. • It extends even to clan or sub-caste, friends and neighbors. • We take care of those who are dear and near and remain indifferent to the rest. • Proud of the sumptuous luxury apartments and immediate habitat. • Acute sense of personal hygiene with two baths a day. • Land of tree huggers and chipko andolan

12. Environment.. • Lack of civic culture with dirty and garbage strewn public places, path-holed and neglected streets, vandalized or dis- functioning public amenities. • De forestation and over cultivation, un treated effluents, reeking and over flowing sewages, more and more cars on the already congested roads and more and more toxins and poisons flowing in to air and water…

13. Environment… • Development is taking place • Environment ?

14. Development versus Environment • The first test case in the country of the conflict between the needs of development and environment. • The state of Kerala was the first to elect communist party to power by ballot in the world as far back as 1957.

15. Case 3- Silent Valeey • Kerala is the classical paradox with • Near-total literacy, few infant mortality, abundant skilled people etc. • Abysmal economic development particularly industrial growth • Widespread unemployment • Silent Valley hydro electric project proposed in 1970s to dam the Kunthipuzha river and generate 120 mwts of power using the water otherwise flowing ‘wastefully’ to the Arabian sea. • Lack of industry because of the lack of power.

16. Silent Valley… • Unique strip of forest uninhabited even by tribals in the Western ghats. • Possessed many types of flora and fauna including a very rare primate, the lion-tailed macaque. • Internationally recognized as one of the ‘hot spots’ of bio diversity in the globe. • Marked by the presence of the priceless plants such as the wild variety of rice that contains genes that can resist pests which attack new high-yielding varieties of rice. • Natural store house with incalculable economic benefit. • The Silent valley hydro electric project raised a fierce controversy.

17. Silent valley… • Kerala Sastra Sahitya Parishad (KSSP), a group of Science teachers and other progressive professionals banded together to take a close look at the pros and cons of the project. • Scientific books translated in to Malayalam, the native language. • Started engaging debates about environment and development. • Assessed the economic and ecological values of preserving this this unique region.

18. Continue… • National and international protests • Global environmental organizations like the World Wild Life Fund and International Union for conservation of Nature intervened. • Interestingly, the Kerala State Electricity Board asked the protesters: “Are monkeys more important than men?” • Finally the Supreme Court put its foot down for the attempts of politicians and industrialists to de reserve the national parks and exploiting the natural resources.

19. Continue… • The Central Govt. decided to call off the project and • The issue was resolved in favor of the environmentalists to preserve this rain forests in western ghats. • Silent Valley was declared a National Park.

20. Conclusion… • Human beings aspire for wholesome lives. • Abundant power is at his disposal • Issues of peace and war, poverty and abundance and conflicts of racial and political nature confront him from every side. • A scientific and critical attitude to problems will create a new thinking pattern.

21. THANK YOU!