Friday, December 20, 2013

Brief On Bigotry

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Neither my Oxford or Cambridge philosophy texts had a formal philosophical definition of bigotry, bigot and related.

However, I reason the 'The Concise Oxford Dictionary' will suffice here.

Bigot: An obstinate and intolerant believer in a religion, political theory etc., bigotry from the 16th c French, origin unknown.

Bigoted: Unreasonably prejudiced and intolerant. Oxford (1995: 125).

Bigotry in philosophical terms then would be a stubborn and intolerant belief in a certain philosophy and worldview and an unreasonable rejection of and opposition to a different, religion, political view, philosophy and worldview.

If one can hold to a religion and/or philosophy without being stubborn and intolerant of evidence and potential facts from for example, theology, philosophy and science that may or may not oppose and contradict his/her views, it is not bigotry.

A key is a reasonably objective evaluation, even if an emotionally charged view is held.

An overly-emotionally charged position can lead to a very subjective view, lacking objectivity.

It can lead to a hateful view.

Therefore, intellectual and philosophical disagreement with a different philosophy and worldview is not necessarily bigotry.

Concise Oxford Dictionary (1995), Oxford, Clarendon Press.