The Conditions of Kindness In Politics

<p>American politicians are often urged to be more civil in their discourse in order to establish more unity even though civility does little to develop and sustain civic relationships. In the face of political violence, when civic relationships seem most vulnerable, the attempt to purify uncivil words is an inappropriate response to the rhetorical problem, a fractured kinship between citizens. This project attempts to revise that response, and through Aristotle's theory, focuses on the foundation of civic friendships: kindness. What is kindness's role in civic friendships and how does this relationality influence political discourse? Working from Aristotle's Rhetoric and Nichomachean Ethics, I argue that kindness is a disposition comprised of goodwill (eunoia) and kindliness (kharis), which motivates one to serve the other. It is the beginning and the vitality of friendship. For a democracy then, which, according to Aristotle, relies on the presence of civic friendships, kindness is not only possible, but promised. As kindness is fundamental to political relationships, and as such relations are fundamental to a democratic state, kindness should be considered the unspoken first-foundation for our politics. It at the very least contributes to a more understanding deliberation; more significantly, it assures a commitment to fellow citizens resilient to violent speech and action.</p>

Name thesis:degree_name

M.A.

Level thesis:degree_level

Campus Access Thesis

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

English Language and Literatures

Year

2012

Author dc:creator

• Ryan, Susan Marie

Contributors dc:contributor

• Erik W Doxtader

• Arts and Humanities
• English Language and Literature
• Aristotle
• civic friendship
• civility
• ethos
• goodwill
• pathos

Statement dc:rights

• © 2012, Susan Marie Ryan

Repository record dc:identifier

https://scholarcommons.sc.edu/etd/1095

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:scholarcommons.sc.edu:etd-2096