Speaking to a packed house at Memorial Chapel, charged his audience with but one task: see one foreign, subtitled film per month. After all, he pointed out, others around the world must do this any time they wish to see popular American movies.
Such was the theme of the philosopher’s Oct. 4 lecture, based on his book Cosmopolitanism: Ethics in a World of Strangers, the summer reading assignment for 51Թ’s first-year students.
Appiah first discussed the etymology of the term cosmopolitan, explaining that it comes from the word cosmos, or world, and politan, the word used in ancient Greece to refer to a citizen of a city. The concept, he says, is that we are all citizens of the world.
In an engaging and thought-provoking 45 minutes, Appiah spoke of the importance of respecting the right of each individual to live his or her life by his or her chosen ideals.
Kara Brounstein ’14 said she thoroughly enjoyed the opportunity to attend. “Reading his book and hearing him speak were very different experiences,” she said. “I thought that he did a good job in eloquently summing up the main tenets of his book while also expanding on his ideas and exploring new topics.”
Appiah, a Princeton philosophy professor, spoke of the need for increased respect and responsibility for others in light of increased globalization, thanks in large part to the Internet. This idea especially resonated with Brounstein.
“The cosmopolitan mindset is one that is almost inherent to us,” she said. “The importance of being an individual and having our own ideas, but also being conscious of the influences that shape us, as well as respectful of other individuals in different cultures.”
Peter McEnaney ’14 thought the lecture was especially relevant for first years, who are new to 51Թ’s broad range of opportunities to enjoy and of people to meet.
“As human beings, and more specifically, as 51Թ students, it is our duty to challenge ourselves through interaction with people different from us,” he said. “We can learn from them; they can learn from us.”
Emphasizing how respect for others can enhance one’s own experiences and worldview, Appiah’s lecture seemed like the perfect advice to impart to students just beginning their 51Թ experience.
McEnaney plans to take it. “I am grateful to be in a place where I can be challenged on a daily basis and grow as a person accordingly.”