Ethics And Culture In The View Of Cosmopolitanism

The idea of "cosmopolitanism" has been given great attention and has become one of the hot topics in the western academic world in recent years. This essay will mainly focus on the modern philosopher Kwame Anthony Appiah and discuss his concept of "cosmopolitanism".The first chapter includes a general overview of the idea of "cosmopolitanism" and a brief introduction to the African philosopher Kwame Anthony Appiah. Cosmopolitanism is an ancient as well as fresh topic. During the past thirty years, quite a few philosophers and thinkers have participated in the discussion of this topic, which has introduced richer and more controversial meanings to the concept "cosmopolitanism". Appiah is one of these thinkers. His family and personal backgrounds contribute a lot to his concern with cosmopolitanism.The second chapter "What is Cosmopolitanism?" attempts to make a definition of Appiah’s concept of cosmopolitanism. Appiah’s concept of cosmopolitanism can be summarized as three types:universalism cosmopolitanism, individualism cosmopolitanism and patriotism cosmopolitanism. Through the analysis of Appiah’s discussions, we can find that he is actually attempting to reconcile these seemingly contradictory concepts.The third chapter "Cosmopolitanism:Reconstructing Ethics" mainly discusses Appiah’s conception of cosmopolitan ethics."Cosmopolitanism" is fundamentally a kind of ethical practice. Appiah views concrete persons as ultimate objective of ethical concerns and as starting point of ethical practices. The essence of cosmopolitan ethics is the art of conversation between individuals and others. Individuals should go beyond the borders of identities and pay concerns as well as respects to other people. Meanwhile, the state also plays an important role in cosmopolitan ethics as it is the state that assumes the mission of "soul making". Besides,"honor" and "dignity" also serve as powerful force in the practice of cosmopolitanism.The fourth chapter "Cosmopolitanism:Rethinking Culture" will examine Appiah’s reflections upon culture. Cosmopolitan ethics is deeply rooted in culture, and culture constitutes the ethics of cosmopolitanism. Culture shapes individual’s values and moral intuitions, at the same time, as a kind of "narrative", culture also represents a mechanism of communication, evaluation and practice. Culture is in the process of unceasing changes, cultural mobility and diversity is one of the principles of cosmopolitanism. Nevertheless, Appiah also attempts to make it clear how we have misunderstood the meaning of "cultural difference" and "cultural diversity" and thus provide a critique of the ideas of cultural protectionism. Appiah emphasizes that culture matters because it matters to individuals, and he also encourages people to share the beauty of art with people beyond the border of states.The fifth chapter is a conclusion and evaluation of Appiah’s ideas. As a philosopher and story-teller, Appiah’s idea of cosmopolitanism is itself a "story" he told to us. His writings focus more on ethics and culture instead of politics and interests. In this sense, his conception of cosmopolitanism is a spirit, a virtue. The "story" of "cosmopolitanism" also calls for conversation and evaluation, as well as examination and challenge.