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Single Idea 22814

[filed under theme 24. Political Theory / D. Ideologies / 7. Communitarianism / b. Against communitarianism ]

Full Idea

We must all be nurtures by others as children, and we only flourish as adults in relationship with friends, mates, children and so on. But this has nothing to do with any obligation to belong to political society.

Gist of Idea

Our reliance on other people close to us does not imply any political obligations

Source

Charles Taylor (Atomism [1979], p.42)

Book Ref

'Communitarianism and Individualism', ed/tr. Avineri,S. /de-Shalit,A. [OUP 1992], p.42

A Reaction

He is defending community, but not at that minimal human level. Political obligations follows from our need for a wider society, to achieve justice, education, travel, health etc. There are no rights without a society

The 17 ideas from Charles Taylor

23417 If the state is neutral, there won't be sufficient community to support a welfare state [Taylor,C, by Kymlicka]
22809 The social contract sees society as constituted by and for individuals [Taylor,C]
22811 Assigning a right based on a human capacity implies that the capacity should be developed [Taylor,C]
22810 A right is not just a rule, but also asserts certain ideas of moral worth [Taylor,C]
22812 For most people the primacy of rights mainly concerns freedom [Taylor,C]
22813 Property is not essential for life, but it may be essential for independence [Taylor,C]
22814 Our reliance on other people close to us does not imply any political obligations [Taylor,C]
22815 If freedom depends on society and culture, the greatest freedom is in shaping them [Taylor,C]
4004 Consistency presupposes intrinsic description [Taylor,C]
4003 Selfhood and moral values are inextricably intertwined [Taylor,C]
4005 To have respect for people, you must feel their claims, or their injustices, or hold them in awe [Taylor,C]
4006 I can only be aware of myself as a person who changes by means of my personal history [Taylor,C]
4010 In later utilitarianism the modern stress on freedom leads to the rejection of paternalism [Taylor,C]
4009 Nominalists defended the sovereignty of God against the idea of natural existing good and evil [Taylor,C]
4002 My aim is to map the connections between our sense of self and our moral understanding [Taylor,C]
4020 The modern self has disengaged reason, self-exploration, and personal commitment [Taylor,C]
4021 Willingness to risk life was the constitutive quality of the man of honour [Taylor,C]