You would Probably Join the Mob to Lynch Socrates, Crucify Jesus and Kill..
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You would Probably Join the Mob to Lynch Socrates, Crucify Jesus and Kill Muhammad
Edip Yuksel
Yesterday in one of my Philosophy classes, we discussed Plato's The Apology, the trial and defense of Socrates... One of my favorite books!. To demonstrate the feelings of Athenians against Socrates, I asked the class a provocative question. I asked them about their position against flag burning.
"If someone burns an American flag in public to express his or her dissenting political views what should be done? Those who burn the flag (a) must get six months in prison; (b) must be banished from country for six months; (c) must publicly apologize and recite the national anthem in front of a flag and jury; (d) pay fine equivalent of the market value of the flag; (e) get no punishment. Please discuss your reason."
Some students wished to impose penalties while others did not. I claimed that those who picked a punishment as their option were not much different than the jury members who condemned Socrates or the Pharisees that condemned Jesus to death or the Meccan mullahs that evicted Muhammad and waged several wars against him.
I dramatized my point by creating a scene, a frame in which they would hate to see themselves "if you lived during those historic events, you would be among the mob that lynched and oppressed those brave philosophers." Each mob had (and has) different idols, symbols, and sensitivities and they would not tolerate anyone who did not show respect to them... The idols and symbols might change but bigotry, oppression and suppression may not. Ironically, the victims of a previous violence of idol-worship may become the symbols of a new generation of idol-worshipers who feel justified to victimize others who may not respect their idols.
My provocation worked well, but some students got more excited than I hoped for. One student, whose father was reportedly a veteran, ended up crying On one hand, I felt bad for allowing the discussion leading to such emotional confrontation among the students; but on the other hand I am glad that I thought them through their own experience that they MAY NOT be much different than the people of the past that they feel at liberty to criticize. In other words, the color of some high horses was noticed not to be so white after all.
I asked them to never let their emotions and sentimental feelings to cloud their judgment and guide their actions. Never to put the cart (emotions) before the horse (reason). I defended the wisdom of the US Supreme Court (though it was by a small margin) for not justifying penalty for burning flag. Both the consistency in theory of liberty and pragmatic/practical considerations should lead mature societies to tolerate "fringe" and "annoying" individuals and groups...
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Peace Edip,
That's a great illustration, and it shows the closed-mindedness of many people. It was a very interesting and enlightening example of the public opinion of crime and punishment, and many people in the world today would definately have been part of the group trying to lynch Socrates, crucify Jesus, and kill Muhammad...
Peace,
Ahmad
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You would Probably Join the Mob to Lynch Socrates, Crucify Jesus and Kill Muhammad
Edip Yuksel
Yesterday in one of my Philosophy classes, we discussed Plato's The Apology, the trial and defense of Socrates... One of my favorite books!. To demonstrate the feelings of Athenians against Socrates, I asked the class a provocative question. I asked them about their position against flag burning.
"If someone burns an American flag in public to express his or her dissenting political views what should be done? Those who burn the flag (a) must get six months in prison; (b) must be banished from country for six months; (c) must publicly apologize and recite the national anthem in front of a flag and jury; (d) pay fine equivalent of the market value of the flag; (e) get no punishment. Please discuss your reason."
Some students wished to impose penalties while others did not. I claimed that those who picked a punishment as their option were not much different than the jury members who condemned Socrates or the Pharisees that condemned Jesus to death or the Meccan mullahs that evicted Muhammad and waged several wars against him.
I dramatized my point by creating a scene, a frame in which they would hate to see themselves "if you lived during those historic events, you would be among the mob that lynched and oppressed those brave philosophers." Each mob had (and has) different idols, symbols, and sensitivities and they would not tolerate anyone who did not show respect to them... The idols and symbols might change but bigotry, oppression and suppression may not. Ironically, the victims of a previous violence of idol-worship may become the symbols of a new generation of idol-worshipers who feel justified to victimize others who may not respect their idols.
My provocation worked well, but some students got more excited than I hoped for. One student, whose father was reportedly a veteran, ended up crying On one hand, I felt bad for allowing the discussion leading to such emotional confrontation among the students; but on the other hand I am glad that I thought them through their own experience that they MAY NOT be much different than the people of the past that they feel at liberty to criticize. In other words, the color of some high horses was noticed not to be so white after all.
I asked them to never let their emotions and sentimental feelings to cloud their judgment and guide their actions. Never to put the cart (emotions) before the horse (reason). I defended the wisdom of the US Supreme Court (though it was by a small margin) for not justifying penalty for burning flag. Both the consistency in theory of liberty and pragmatic/practical considerations should lead mature societies to tolerate "fringe" and "annoying" individuals and groups...
A very philosophical and thought provoking question indeed. Sometimes i wonder if the prophet Muhammad came a generation after the generation that he came than the believers like Abu Bakar, Umar and Uthman and all others for that matters would have been idolaters(They were idolaters when the prophet started preaching to them). In the same logic if he the prophet came a generation before than his generation than the previous generation would have some believers among them wouldn't they. I wonder about the fact that we are believers just depends just upon the fact that we were born in the right place and at the right time. Had we been born in Siberia or in some remote tribe or in jungles of Africa or Amazon or at another time altogether who worshiped the nature and had no lines of communications with the broader world would we have been able to follow the right path. The majority of the Muslims i know blindly follow their religion for them it does not really matter where they were born, had they been born among pagans they would have been worshiping their idols blindly ready and willing to cut someones head off if he dared to criticize their gods. What chance did the believers have if they were born elsewhere and had to search for the truth themselves.
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You would Probably Join the Mob to Lynch Socrates, Crucify Jesus and Kill Muhammad
Edip Yuksel
Yesterday in one of my Philosophy classes, we discussed Plato's The Apology, the trial and defense of Socrates... One of my favorite books!. To demonstrate the feelings of Athenians against Socrates, I asked the class a provocative question. I asked them about their position against flag burning.
"If someone burns an American flag in public to express his or her dissenting political views what should be done? Those who burn the flag (a) must get six months in prison; (b) must be banished from country for six months; (c) must publicly apologize and recite the national anthem in front of a flag and jury; (d) pay fine equivalent of the market value of the flag; (e) get no punishment. Please discuss your reason."
I go for (e), because its a person's right to gather on the road expressing his/her's political views.
My provocation worked well, but some students got more excited than I hoped for. One student, whose father was reportedly a veteran, ended up crying.
How old were your students?