Ethics of Transitions

Table of Epigraphs

Introductions

« The formation of states must be an experimental process. […] And since conditions of action and of inquiry and knowledge are always changing, the experiment must always be retried; the State must always be rediscovered. […] It is not the business of political philosophy and science to determine what the state in general should or must be. What they may do is to aid in creation of methods such that experimentation may go on less blindly, less at the mercy of accident, more intelligently, so that men may learn from their errors and profit by their successes. » (Dewey 1927, p. 33-34)

Inter-section 1

« – We think not so, my lord.

– Why, then, ‘tis none to you, for there is nothing either good or bad, but thinking makes it so. To me it is a prison. » (Shakespeare, Hamlet, act 2, scene 2, Rosencrantz to Hamlet)

Book I

« Il joue à être… Voilà bien des précautions pour emprisonner l’homme dans ce qu’il est. » (Sartre 1943, p. 95)

Inter-section 2

« Out beyond ideas of wrongdoing and rightdoing, there is a field. I’ll meet you there.

When the soul lies down in that grass, the world is too full to talk about. Ideas, language, even the phrase ‘each other’ doesn’t make any sense.

The breeze at dawn has secrets to tell you. Don’t go back to sleep. You must ask for what you really want. Don’t go back to sleep. People are going back and forth across the doorsill where the two worlds touch. The door is round and open. Don’t go back to sleep. ...