CD: Civil Disobedience in a Civil Society

I was really intrigued about our conversations in class on Thursday concerning the "civil society."

I would stipulate that civil society is a product of cultural laws of the people, and laws of the government.  I would also stipulate that governmental law is all inclusive of pragmatic laws of the time period and area, as well as the fundamental laws that may exist in numerous, if not all just societies.

While I do not think we came to a definite conclusion, I personally think that civil disobedience cannot exist without a genuine civil society.  For example, the civil societies of many fascist regimes during WWII I would argue are fabricated, and forced.  They are not a melding of cultural and governmental law; they exist in a fake reality, where all laws are either enforced or not by an all powerful figurehead, or heads.  One might argue that the complete revolution sparked by Gandhi, which forced the English to abdicate their hold over India, was done in an improper civil society; I would disagree.  Just because the regime was overthrown, as opposed to reformed, does not mean that the past regime did not cultivate a genuine civil society within the country.  I would argue that the division and extension of power that comes with a colonial system almost insures at least some influence from the cultural laws and customs of the local people.

In conclusion, I think that civil disobedience is not possible without a civil society.  In the case of Jewish empathy during the holocaust, and others like it, I would say that this is simply, "disobedience."

CD: Socrates and Thoreau, Leaving Home?

Socrates and Thoreau both discussed various concepts of obeying/disobeying the law, the concept of laws and following them, and other paradigms of civil disobedience.

In The Crito, Socrates defends his decision to accept the punishment of the Athenian government as he is questioned by his longtime friend, Crito.  Socrates even goes as far as to say that he likes Athens enough that he has never considered moving to neighboring city-states with governments he prefers.

Thoreau never mentions the possibility of leaving the States for a territory with a better governing. With that being said, Thoreau was not really in the same position as Socrates, but I think it's worth considering the possibility that he may have left for a government that was more ideal.  While Thoreau seemed to be intent on clarifying the fact that he was strictly a reformer of the law (and not an anarchist, just as Socrates) I don't think he exemplifies the same love for his county (or city) as Socrates does.  Would he have left the States if there had been a nearby government with a structure he preferred?  I think it's worth considering.

CD: Introduction

Hey guys!

Just thought I'd introduce myself.  My name is Dominick Cooper, and I'm a sophomore here at MCLA.  I'm a Political Science and Philosophy double major, from Lewisburg, PA.

Growing up in Virginia, going to high school in central Pennsylvania, and being a Christian Catholic, I've been raised in a largely conservative atmosphere.  Upon attending MCLA, and attending philosophy classes here especially, I've really been exposed to different schools of thought.  I've found my experience at MCLA to be incredibly enriching so far, and I've found that above all things, being a well rounded individual (as far as schools of thought go) is possibly one of the most important foundations a scholar can have.  I've enjoyed the first week of class, and I look forward to the rest of the semester!!