The Ethics of Identity.The Ethics of Identity by Kwame Anthony Appiah Kwame Anthony Appiah (1954-) is a Ghanaian-American philosopher, cultural theorist, and novelist whose interests include political and moral theory, the philosophy of language and mind, and African intellectual history. Princeton University Princeton University, at Princeton, N.J.; coeducational; chartered 1746, opened 1747, rechartered 1748, called the College of New Jersey until 1896. Schools and Research Facilities Press, January 2005 $29.95, ISBN ISBN abbr. International Standard Book Number ISBN International Standard Book Number ISBN n abbr (= International Standard Book Number) → ISBN m 0-691-12036-6 Most scholars acknowledge that identities are socially constructed. Few, however, discuss the impact such an acknowledgement has on social-political issues and everyday lives to the extent that Kwame Anthony Appiah does in his latest book. A Cambridge-trained scholar and professor of philosophy at Princeton University, Appiah has developed a reputation as an intellectual willing to tackle the tougher issues of identity. With his latest effort, he continues confronting the illogical and sometimes ethically ambivalent assumptions that impede im·pede tr.v. im·ped·ed, im·ped·ing, im·pedes To retard or obstruct the progress of. See Synonyms at hinder1. [Latin imped our ability to attain individuality within a larger community. As an alternative, the author argues for a cosmopolitanism that transcends essentialism essentialism In ontology, the view that some properties of objects are essential to them. The “essence” of a thing is conceived as the totality of its essential properties. and social fragmentation to accommodate differences without polarizing communities and marginalizing individuals. Cultural diversity and civil rights are no longer a matter of black and white. We live in an after-postmodernist age where identities based on ethnicity, race, religion and gender are mere illusions. As identities become more complex so must our thinking and dialogue regarding human liberty. A good place to start would be Appiah's The Ethics of Identity. |
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