Cosmopolitanism

Although he is a philosopher by training, Appiah brings in examples from a wide range of disciplines to support his claims, including cultural anthropology and literature. Discuss some of these examples. How does he employ them, and what impact do they have on his argument?

Appiah views conversation both literally and metaphorically in global society. Describe several specific locations or venues through which Appiah might view conversation as occurring in the world now. Who is participating in these conversations? How are the aims of conversation, as discussed in the text, being achieved?

Sir Francis Burton is the first “companion” Appiah introduces the reader to in Chapter 1. Why does Appiah select a historical figure like Burton as a focus of his first chapter? What insight does Burton’s biography offer the reader that another figure’s might not have?

In the Introduction, Appiah says he favors “partial cosmopolitanism,” meaning he favors holding some local identities (like ethnicity or nationality) (xvii). Why is it important to Appiah that we not solely identify as global citizens, that we continue to have some other identities? How does this relate to both his argument and his own personal history?

Why does Appiah believe “cultural purity” to be a problematic goal? Consider a real-life example, from the text or from elsewhere, where a local or indigenous culture was perceived as being under threat, and evaluate the arguments for seeking to protect its “purity.”

Appiah believes it is psychologically easier for us to have sympathy for those with whom we share closer identities than for those who are strangers, and that our ethics must take this into account. What examples do you see of this from history or current events?

In Appiah’s cosmopolitan view, we should tolerate extreme viewpoints and behaviors from others (e.g., ignorance, withdrawing from society, refusing to interact with others, misanthropy, racism), but with some limitations. What are those limitations, and how do they relate to cosmopolitan ethics? How might they apply in the real world?

In the last chapter, Appiah argues that “single principle” philosophical responses to complex moral problems (such as those of Peter Unger or Peter Singer) do not work as well as identifying values. What are Appiah’s concerns about “single principle” positions in this chapter? How do they conflict overall with his model of conversation?