PHILOSOPHICAL REFLECTION ON THE PLURALITY OF VALUES AND THE CURRENT SOCIAL CRISIS
/FILOZOFICKÁ REFLEXIA PLURALITY HODNÔT A SÚČASNÁ SPOLOČENSKÁ KRÍZA/

Rudolf DUPKALA

professor, Faculty of Arts, University of Presov, Ul. 17. novembra 1, 080 01 Presov, Slovakia, dupkala@centrum.sk, 00421907993560

Abstract

The leitmotif of the paper is the analysis and interpretation of the plurality of values in the contexts of the current social crisis. This issue is philosophically reflected from the position of axiological pluralism. The author states that the reasons for the escalation of socio-cultural tensions in today's Europe can also include the inability, or reluctance, to live in an atmosphere of plurality of values or the parallel activity of incommensurable systems of values. He presents the current migration crisis and the incommensurability of some legal and moral values of European and Islamic civilization as an example of this issue. The author sees the solution in the dialogue of cultures and in the complementary search for the so-called "common ethos". In this context, he emphasizes respect for the value of human dignity, freedom, social justice, tolerant coexistence, environmental security, etc.

Keywords

Plurality of Values, Europe, Christianity, Islam, Dialogue

SUMMARY

One of the theoretical solutions to the emerging situation of a plurality of society's values ​​offers an intercultural and inter-religious dialogue aimed at finding the so-called "Common ethos". Spirituality could be the anthropological starting point for the search for a "common ethos", because it is available to everyone as homo sapiens sapiens.  Unfortunately, this common feature of people also shows different levels and manifests itself in different ways. The spirituality of Christians manifests itself differently from the spirituality of Chinese Confucians, Indian Buddhists, individual Muslims, or Judaists. Nevertheless, even in this difference, it is possible to find some common or at least comparable (commensurable) features, aspects, dispositions, ambitions, and tendencies. I am convinced that these comparable features... and dispositions can be found in a common respect for human dignity, freedom, social justice, tolerant coexistence, environmental security etc. All this is realistic and achievable even in an atmosphere of plurality of values, but (only) provided that this plurality will be - at least to a predominant extent - comparable.

(Language: slovak)

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