De Grouchy Flashcards
(8 cards)
What is the foundation of De Grouchy’s philosophy.
sympathy is at the core of her philosophy> it is the natural disposition to feel as others do.
She believed that humans naturally care about the well-being of others and that this capacity creates connection and social cohesion.
What processes contribute to the development of sympathy, and why are they interdependent?
Sympathy develops through:
Perception: Experiences of the senses form the raw material for moral understanding.
Memory: Retaining and recalling past experiences, such as the pleasure of doing good or the shame of wrongdoing.
Imagination: Considering alternative perspectives and the feelings of others.
Reflection: Evaluating experiences and perspectives to form ethical judgments.
These processes combine feeling and thinking/reason to develop a moral sensibility.
How does de Grouchy develop sympathy into a theory of ethics?
Our understanding of good and evil stems from pleasure in performing good actions and the sense of satisfaction that comes from knowing we have done good.
Virtue (sympathy guided by reason):
- individual
- short-term relationships with those immediately around us.
- Virtuous actions bring pleasure to others, harmful actions do the opposite.
Justice (sypathy guided by reason, subjected by general laws):
- collective
- establishes universal principles of fairness (rights).
Together, these concepts progress from the particular (virtue) to the universal (justice).
How does De Grouchy tie ‘rights’ into her theory?
Rights, are preferences individuals hold under laws that respect equality. For instance, if one works, they have a right to benefit from their labor.
Her political theory rejects rights achieved through traditions like monarchy or priesthood as sources of authority.
What role does education play in De Grouchy’s view of moral and intellectual development?
Education to cultivating both emotional and rational faculties.
> It develops sympathy by deepening emotional understanding and enhances critical reasoning to guide what is good.
Educations is equalizer: Through education, individuals gain the tools to address inequality and participate in meaningful reform.
How does De Grouchy incorporate art into moral education?
Art stimulates imagination and emotional engagement, helping individuals empathize with others and thereby grasp complex moral scenarios.
Besides that we are just curious for all things to do with each others emotions.
She compares the role of emotions in the soul to exercise for the body.
What is De Grouchy’s view on natural equality versus institutional inequality?
All humans are born with natural equality including
- equal capacity for sympathy
- equal right to be happy
- develop sympathy
- equal dignity
but made unequal by society. Institutional structures (such as legal codes, economic systems, and gender roles) create social inequalities.
This is the tragedy of society because these institutions are designed by human beings but somehow undo this natural equality.
What does De Grouchy propose to address institutional inequality?
Rights were not equally distributed so we need reform, we need laws that reinforce everyone’s natural equality.
Laws should aim at equal distribution of wealth: no citizen should have to focus exclusively on the necessities of life, so that he has no time for the degree of reflection needed for the development of sympathy
Proposed reforms:
Tax reform: Equalizing tax burdens between the rich and poor.
Criminal justice reform: Addressing disproportionate punishment of the poor.
Education reform: Making it accessible across classes and focussing on development of sympathy and reason.
Marriage and gender rights reform: Advocating women’s rights, divorce access, and prioritizing love over transactional unions.
Political reform: Extending voting rights and removing hereditary privileges.
