Here are my notes from Dr. Appiah's lecture:
- honor - treat someone as if they're worthy of respect
- only gentlemen can duel
- an honorable person cares about being worthy of respect
- some acts are worthy of honor; military honor
- we need to agree on civic honor codes
- develop a sense of what we think is worthy of honor
- democracy --> managing the republic together
- honor killings
- footbinding was a source of national shame
- in order to end one practice, you have to start another

I wasn't completely facedown in the dirt though. I thought his theories about the definition of honor and where it should be given were interesting. Honor isn't something I usually put a lot of importance on, so it was engaging to hear someone discuss it at such length and in detail. I liked his idea that in order for the citizens of a democracy to healthily manage the republic together, they must agree on certain civic honor codes that govern their interactions and dealings. This seems like a healthy way for people to get along in a society together. I think most, though, I took to heart his theory that honor is given to someone who is worthy of respect. This idea of "honor" seems so BIG and ROYAL but I think it can apply to my everyday life in choosing who I surround myself with and how I interact with them.
Learn more about Kwame Anthony Appiah's theories of Honor Code.
I had a similar reaction to his lecture (and other philosophy lectures that I have attended). Along with that, I agree that "honor" is a concept I rarely think about. However, this convocation made me question his choice to focus on honor a little more than it encouraged me to think more about it.
ReplyDeleteUpdate: I was thinking about the honor killings and such. He talked a lot about how misused and perhaps evil honor can be and I'm not sure if he was for or against the idea. I think maybe he was advocating for more of a civic, everyday, mutual honor rather than a moral that guides all life in a society.
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