Unscharfe Grenzen, Sand's Society, Ulrich Pardey, time, history, individualisme, social consequences, collective entity, individuality, practic philosophical thought, introspective quest, War and Peace, Tolstoy, society, arbitrary threshold
At the crossroads of practical philosophical thought and introspective quest, Ulrich Padrey's work Unscharfe Grenzen, and more precisely the quotation that comes from it, offer a fascinating insight into the profound relationship between the individual and the collective.
He is interested in the very name of a pile of sand. Made up of several billion grains of sand, it is gradually stripped of material. Grain by grain, the pile disappears, but always retains its essence as a pile of sand : a difference of a million grains would be barely visible. So, when the last grain is removed, the pile of sand is reduced to a single grain, but we can ask ourselves whether it retains its essence, the character that defines it, that of a heap, a pile of sand.
So how do we resolve this real paradox, which could be applied to human patterns ? In the eyes of society, man is a small grain of sand. Societies are made up of individuals, each with their own identity, beliefs and values. But if we think of each individual as a "grain of sand", then society itself is a "heap of sand" made up of those grains. Through this dilemma, how do we reconcile the imprecision inherent in defining terms with our understanding of the contrast between grains of sand and piles of sand, between individualism and collectivism within societies ?
[...] Unscharfe Grenzen - Ulrich Pardey (2002) - Sand's Society : a navigating between Individuality and Collective cohesion "An accumulation of about 10 billion grains of sand ( . ) is a pile of sand. If you take away one grain of sand from this pile, the rest still remains a pile of sand. If you take away another grain of sand from this pile, the rest still remains a pile of sand. In general, if you take away a single grain of sand from a collection of grains of sand that constitute a pile of sand, the rest still remains a pile of sand. [...]
[...] In fact, the paradox presented in Ulrich Padrey's quote invites us to reconsider our understanding of individuality and collectivity, and the inherent vagueness in our conceptual understanding of the world. This understanding has profound implications for our policies, our social norms or our perception of identity. V. Social Consequences : beyond Arbitrary thresholds, the need of a balance The product of individuality and collectivity takes the form of arbitrary thresholds. These thresholds, like invisible threads, weave through our policies, laws, and social norms. [...]
[...] This concept of vagueness can be extended to the individual and the collective. Just as a pile of sand is made up of individual grains, a society is made up of individual people. Each person, like each grain of sand, is unique and has their own characteristics. However, when we look at society as a whole, we see a collective entity, just as we see a pile when we look at many grains of sand together. This raises the question of how we define the boundaries between the individual and the collective. [...]
[...] In fact, a heap of scrap will never have the same characteristics as a heap of sand, even though both have the same name. Individualism, as a concept, is also subject to vagueness. Some individuals define themselves strongly by their singularity, while others are more include in a collective. The paradox invites us to reflect on these blurred borders : at what point does an individual cease to be "individual" and become "collective" ? Just as a heap of sand is not defined by any one grain, a society is not defined by any one individual. [...]
[...] On the other hand, in a regime of "presentist" historicity, where the emphasis is on the present moment and historical discontinuity, the perception of the pile of sand could be fragmented. Individuals are perceived as separate, unconnected entities, reflecting a view of society as a collection of individual experiences rather than a coherent whole. A collection of grains of sand that leaves and return. Conclusion. In conclusion, Ulrich Padrey's quote invites us to think about the nature of individuality and collectivity. [...]
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