American Traits and Principles Author(s): Herbert W. Schneider Source: Philosophy East and West, Vol. 9, No.

1/2, Preliminary Report on the Third East-West Philosophers' Conference (Apr. - Jul., 1959), pp. 52-53 Published by: University of Hawai'i Press Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/1397208 . Accessed: 20/11/2013 23:56
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52

HERBERT W. SCHNEIDER

of duty, whichis as theprinciple thisout explicitly nak'sDr. Zhivagobring ethics. plainlybeyond ethicalactionand value-realizing between Thereis a veryreal difference and value-imaction.Thereare twosetsof moralrules:ethicalimperatives this. And it is true in supposing are correct peratives.The communists are wrongin But communists that,in specialcases,the two mayconflict. thatdutyis determined by thelatter. onlyor evenmainly supposing of Eastand West, taskat present, as philosophers Our critically important while is to seek a formula of Duty defined by both sets of imperatives, themin conbetween conflict of a real agonizing thepossibility recognizing cretecases.

AMERICAN TRAITS AND PRINCIPLES

HERBERT W. SCHNEIDER

severalof the basic traits to define This paper attempts of American life and thought.These are to a largeextent and principles countries various from whichsettlers brought heritage, partof theEuropean modifications certain has created environment but theAmerican withthem, areworth and emphases which noting. 1. The people of the UnitedStatesis an international people,containAmericans are of peoplesfromall continents. ing substantial contingents as mixture and diversification to regardinternational compelled physically of cultures createsseriousproblems, an asset. But the mixture especially to ariseas a consea classsociety, whichthreatened of preventing problems quenceof slavery. 2. The American morality primarily by a secular people is held together of federalunity or commonfaithin the law of the land. The principle makes the traditional conceptof the national State, and especiallyof the unityof in the United States;consequently, Kulturstaat, inapplicable a as a whole. This permits to society law and public moralsis essential wide cultural diversity. The a radicaltransformation. is undergoing 3. The love of freedom a romantic is as which the of freedom ideal, lingers earlydays, "pioneer" other which freedom institutionalized to the more too, countries, way giving

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FRITZ JOACHIM VON RINTELEN

53

freedom is taklove forromantic toward.Hence,theromantic are working perhapsless amiable,character. orderly, ing on a moreresponsible, 4. The obligation to compromiseis a basic element of American of the pluralismin American culture. and a directconsequence morality is a duty evenin basicconvictions, thatis recognized To be accommodating, In its institutional in public and in privateaffairs. formit promotes the whichis necessary "ethicsof bargaining," to peace and takesthe place in theUnitedStates of"classstruggle." is a basic principle of military to civil authority 5. The subordination It in American cannotafford to compromise. on whichAmericans politics is all the moreimportant the now,when it seemsendangered throughout world. 6. The American of manyinterests. Publicaffairs publicis a composite are not separate fromprivateaffairs; the "publicinterest" rather, operates as a clearing houseforprivate whichare sufficiently or interests, corporate to require vested publicregulation. is a vitalaspectof thedemocratic 7. American publiceducation process. It is conceived as beingmuchmorethanvocational it is the optraining; to becomeacquainted of each citizen withthevariousinterests of portunity others and to develophis own interests in thispubliccontext.

VALUES AS A FOUNDATION

FOR ENCOUNTER

VON RINTELEN FRITZ JOACHIM

1. The prerequisite for any encounter is the readiness on the part of of humanity both portions to concerned expressmutualesteem,however different the two may at first is to be achievedin appear. An encounter a meeting of mindsin whicheach remains to himself. true Hence,it would to supposethattheir common be a mistake should be found in genground abstract On an inner the communication eral,formal, principles. contrary, is soonerachieved intoultimate ideals by meansof mutualinsight motives, of life, in short, intothatwhichconstitutes thevery coreof humanexistence. 2. This requirement leads directly to philosophy. But in spiteof this, has its different into forethe something quite pushed way contemporary I mean formidable technical with man's ground. together accomplishments,

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