from Aaron

This week I wrote a Letter of Motivation in application to a Masters program at the University of Hamburg that included thist:

“My background in Philosophy has encouraged a fascination with work; and more specifically, the fundamental human activities we implement to navigate the social and material world around us. 

…I have chosen to apply to this program at Hamburg primarily to broaden my horizons to more practical and applicable forms of theory and method. My hope is then to find ways of employing my core philosophical commitments within the framework of public institutions that are affectatious on the social and political environment at large.”

By “Motivation”, I expect the University application process intended for me provide particular reasons for applying to this program. These might include: 1. obtaining a knowledge of the lexicon and vocabulary used in discipline of Public Administration; 2. gaining a more in-depth economic understanding of socio-political institutions both public and private; or 3. providing a good reason to be studying abroad.

However, more important that this I think, are the reasons or motivations of why a person is compelled to act in the world on a regular basis. This is what I mean by work in the letter; that I am intrigued by human practices, however boring or important, and the moral bases on which they are carried out.

Here, I’m not demanding of anyone to provide a moral Curriculum Vitae or a list of the chronological occurrences of good deeds done or not done throughout their own life, but to instead provide some insight into the fundamnetal reasons behind that chronological account of actions.

What are our assumptions of human nature when we decide to participate in the invasion of another country to overthrow its totalitarian government to replace it with democracy? (This might be an interesting question to be asked regardless of when it became the reason for such action.)

Is the answer that democracy somehow fulfills a natural requirement of human beings? If so, what is that requirement? If not, how can we adjudicate democracy as being a better system of government for everyone than any other? What is perhaps more terrifying is that these fundamental questions may not have even been considered before, let alone answered by those responsible for carrying out these massively complex activities.

These questions, and ones similar to them, are no longer asked of our politicians and administrators at both the public and private levels of the socio-political economy. Demanding of these governmental bodies at all levels, and subsequently engaging in a dialogue with and about these fundamental assumptions is what is required if an kind of progress is to be made and this where I’d like to begin.