Recognizing Commonalities First Step for Peaceful Co-Existence: American Professor
Charles Taliaferro, an American philosopher specializing in theology and philosophy of religion, talked with IQNA about philosophers’ point of view about establishing global peace.
Taliaferro is an emeritus professor of philosophy at St. Olaf College, a senior research fellow at the Institute for Faithful Research, and a member of the Royal Institute of Philosophy.
He is the author, co-author, editor, or co-editor of twenty books, most recently The Image in Mind; Theism, Naturalism and the Imagination, co-authored with the American artist Jill Evans. He has been a visiting scholar or guest lecturer at a large number of universities, including Brown, Cambridge, Notre Dame, Oxford, Princeton, and the University of Chicago. Since 2013 Taliaferro is editor-in-chief of the journal Open Theology. Following his interview with IQNA:
Here is the full text of the interview:
IQNA: We see that followers of good, no matter what religion they follow, sometimes have had the lower hand in power. Do philosophers envision a day when utopia will be formed and global interaction will prevail?
Taliaferro: Not all philosophers have been optimistic about an ideal human future. Schopenhauer was a famous pessimist, but in general, Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle believed that we humans are responsive to reason and that, when we do not fall prey to ignorance, worldly ambition, and envy, we may bring together power and goodness. On this front, Plato had a vision that justice would be achievable when leaders became philosophers (lovers of wisdom).
IQNA: Developments in today’s world and throughout history shows that humans have failed to move towards peace. What solution do philosophers suggest to establish peace between people that may follow different religions? Is global peace possible?
Taliaferro: Few philosophers have thought world peace is easy, Immanuel Kant proposed that if the world united in a league of nations, we may progress toward a universal respect for human dignity.
IQNA: According to the philosophers, in what way can peace be achieved and what are the conditions for achieving it?
Taliaferro: Probably the majority (but not all) philosophers have stressed the immense value of education and cooperation in the pursuit of the common good. Some religions would claim this is not enough: we need to love each other and some --Muslims, Christians, Jews, theistic Hindus, think the love of God is needed.
IQNA: According to issues such as religious and ethnic wars in human history, some believe that philosophically, humans tend towards evil. What is your take on this?
Taliaferro: Philosophers have historically been divided on that. I am in the tradition of Plato and Aristotle that holds that when people do evil they are often motivated to pursue some form of what they think (mistakenly) is good. So, I side with those who think human evil occurs because of human weakness, foolishness, ignorance, vice.
IQNA: Unfortunately, in recent years, we have witnessed some people abusing the freedom of speech and insulting religions and divine prophets. In your opinion, what is the purpose of these people and how can one deal with the project of insulting religious sanctities?
Taliaferro: I live in a democracy that values free speech. We wind up tolerating many acts that we ourselves find reprehensible for the sake of respecting freedom and not using coercion. But in some cases, the offense may be so radically offensive (as when someone advocates violence against others) we intervene.
IQNA: Christians and Muslims have the most followers among religions. In your opinion, how can the followers of these two great religions live peacefully together?
Taliaferro: They need to recognize what they have in common. Both Muslims and Christians recognize Jesus as a Great Prophet. Begin with agreement, then engage respectfully and lovingly where there is divergence.
Interview by Mohammad Hassan Goodarzi
