Digging at the Roots: A Reply to Naoko Saito's<i>American Philosophy in Translation</i>

The Two-and-a-Half Years that Dewey lived in Japan and China offered him an East-West comparative standpoint to examine Euro-American presuppositions. In subsequent work, he took steps the direction of a global philosophical outlook by promoting fusion aesthetic refinements with democratic experimentalism. year 2021 marks centennial Dewey's return United States, yet philosophers this country have only begun take emerging scene includes unfamiliar questions, angles, idioms, emphases. This American pragmatists. sense, as Gregory Pappas has observed context Latin philosophies, pragmatism did not “grow up” States. As coherent philosophy, it originated there, is now growing up through critical mutually transformative intracultural dialogue (Pappas; cf. Behuniak).As continues grow up, we can bear Thoreau's words mind: “I know few radicals who are radical enough.” He was implying, implicit jab at Emerson, his day dig deep enough, down level their conceptual roots, inspect them order transform own lives (qtd. Walls 168–69). Thoreau expressed radicalism “an iconic work performance art” (Walls 194) 1845–1847, living Walden Pond. Like Thoreau, Philosophy Translation, Naoko Saito digs deep, exposing originating roots criticism “with result its identity translated” meet contemporary conditions (Saito, 72).Approaching philosophy translation for grown-ups, Stanley Cavell “American philosophy's translator” 72), insightfully incisively explores anxieties inclusion, which “experienced when live dissent exposed discordant, disturbing voices” “Two-Way”). Building on Cavell's reflections experience untranslatability, she argues urgently require us go beyond politics inclusion stops recognizing respecting diverse values. Such too self-centered monological, avers, so leads educational experiments low expectations. To get simplistic cosmopolitanism our political education, need mutual destabilization transformation arise difficult standing crossing incommensurable linguistic borders.We broad, interdisciplinary education bi-directional internationalization, urges, such hopeful requires teachers students learn “discordant elements human lives” preparing inhabiting “space disequilibrium” (American 122). direct help inhabit space, but primarily uses metonymy: “With processes self-criticism readily instills, metonym experience” Translation way open non-assimilative communicative field, however uneasy or frictional (cf. Medina), disclose co-create common ground more likely achieve what Isaiah Berlin called “uneasy equilibrium” discourse (Gray 19).Saito's project speaks urgent create intracultural, cultural, subcultural contexts become, Eddie Glaude's words, “the kind people democracy requires” (personal communication; see Glaude). Glaude talking about racial habits value gap Saito's general analysis pertinent. Consider, instance, controverted meaning “inclusion” historically white universities liberal arts colleges. Many black Latinx students, observes, feel small insignificant these institutions end flourishing. part because some often “included” one-directional assimilative way, terms those holding caste-like positions social dominance. implies insofar fail unsettling transformation, all students.In my role discussant, I frame questions issues hope one may elicit further inquiry: renewal language education” awareness “that different languages possibilities thought, limitations, exposure other be enlightening” 124). aim cannot met sophisticated software. Meanwhile, States increasingly weakened ongoing program cuts, less dissonant across borders 136). Given current budgetary constraints, does prescribe most important area faculty hires curriculum development?On Garrison's reading (in issue Pluralist), Cavellian skepticism begins inward autonomy must encounter Levinasian Other asymmetrical relationship. Does hold view receptive marginalized voices than transactive Deweyan Garrison advances?Saito emphasizes dimension oriented around active problem solving. Her remarks mostly reserved toward mediating problematic situations. latter risks complicity hegemonic economic calculations. Is there hint here Heidegger's critique overreaching “calculative” (mistakenly) applied classical pragmatism? evidenced her timely theme, embraces philosophic turn living, including struggle widely shared problems. Perhaps could clarify why suitably contextualized conception inquiry into problems falls short anti-foundationalist perfectionism.Saito references purported inability acknowledge “residual unknown” 104), wonders whether “robust pragmatist antiskepticism” would “be hospitable resourceful accommodate anxious margins society, hear been left unexpressed, 72). Glaude, Shannon Sullivan, many others highlighted, fact certainly always personally exemplify deeply outlook. Nevertheless, appears akin emphasis learning. Jane Addams Hull House Chicago 1890s underscored ever-growing happiness found, said, “simply broadening intellectual curiosity sympathy concerns life” (LW 5:422). Lacking any perfected ideal standpoint, view, should done democratically minimize unconsulted unheard tensions illegitimately overlooked, hidden, relegated moral externalities. At conscious level, understood conduct progressive focal situation simultaneously regressive respect off-the-radar in-group's idealizations. sees shortcomings here. revealing stunted practical development outlook?Saito highlights limitations Richard Bernstein “rooted cosmopolitanism” Saito, Might artful translator while nevertheless being rootless cosmopolitan? Speaking someone thinks become rooted nature culture, do think count ourselves successful educators if consummate crossers unstable border regions price rootlessness. Nor concern rootlessness presents opportunity clarification: extent art bi-directionality worthy perfect?Saito chapters 4 5 interlinguistic well intralinguistic one. Vincent Colapietro Pluralist) invites look prototypical Roman Jakobson conceived intersemiotic translation. Accepting Colapietro's invitation, let me thicken Through “investiture” human-nature border, calls out whose daily express contact-less, relation nature. Contact maladjusted desperation, quiet otherwise. Aldo Leopold much A Sand County Almanac, entry March conference: morning drab walks without glance skyward, ear cocked geese. once knew educated lady, banded Phi Beta Kappa, told had never heard seen geese twice proclaim revolving seasons well-insulated roof. possibly process trading things lesser worth? goose trades soon pile feathers. (Leopold 20)Dewey no Leopoldian naturalist, sense cultural inhabitation carried torch, freed from nineteenth-century transcendentalist tendency overly romanticize echo assumptions providential natural order. We exist, imbued meaning, grace infinite relations precede affected (see Dewey, LW 9:14–18). read advocating cosmopolitans uprooted After all, perfectionist starts home ground, placeless point. But clarified explore anarchic education—steeped “perfection strong imperfection” 121–22)—can relate world meaningful, value-rich, ethically appropriate way.What, any, empathy within striving? Based descriptions, seems best translations rely empathetic imagination. Likewise, teaching involve great empathy. For example, lingo, imaginatively novices lack competence aware relative incompetence.In agrees real pressing, suggests investiture—avoiding “inner death” unlived life (within infrastructure unsustainable hollowing consumption)—that “controlling question project” (Colapietro 105). What might noticed, missed, entertaining how invest lives, rather heart call transformation?In assertion inadequate “being grasp” points “Qualitative Thought,” essay 33). wrote: “The gist matter immediate existence quality, dominant pervasive background, point departure, regulative principle thinking” 5:262). elaborated felt horizon pervasive, “underlying qualitative character constitutes situation” 5:248n1). All affective, dependent upon suffuses differentiates 5:248). affective prism, prescribes, imply reframing critique?On closely related note, sometimes quite rightly, ineffable. Hence, art, exceeds language. outstrips thought. Thought itself qualitatively nuanced. “language, tool tools,” thought identical reducible 1:134; 1:132–61). suddenly, despite professed naturalism, positing gaseous extralinguistic “thought” His thoroughly naturalistic, Thought”: “Language fails fails, verbal symbols justice fullness richness thought” 5:250). implications, translation, contention nuanced language?Finally, looking metonymy, inter- necessary internationalization? sufficient? very moment borders” vital weaving identity, moreover “necessary live” way? 75; added). Arguably, minimally furthering cross-cultural understanding, Kwame Anthony Appiah argued tandem dual-process psychologists like Daniel Kahneman Jonathan Haidt, something noncognitive, namely, used each driving intuitions change (Appiah; Haidt). Take early objectors same-sex unions got over this, were opening themselves anxiously untranslatable. They just new normal. Their habituated changed along baseline. deeper Saito-esque transformational presumably far durable resource dealing These aims book argument encountered curriculum. even opportunities still contribute wider ways advance understanding identity.