It is a new book by Paulo Borges, the philosopher, essayist and writer who proposes a new approach to ethics and compassion.
You stressed that this his new book contained several important texts.
Paulo Borges: My book proposes a rethinking of ethics, addresses an ethics not towards man, as man seen as lord and master of the world. To that end I seek to rethink the biblical next category, belongs to the Old Testament, is part of the Judeo-Christian tradition, and has almost always been understood as my next be another human being, but in fact what Christ says in the parable the Good Samaritan is that my neighbor is every one that we are able to approach, through love and compassion. And in that sense I ask because this category cannot include other living beings, animals and even the planet? Nature as a whole that today we are destroying both. So I think this enlargement of the next category is essential to have an ecological awareness that allows us to solve the environmental crisis in which we found ourselves. The texts that I emphasized the manifest for culture, basically, is a text aims to rethink the meaning of culture, I say to be cult is not necessarily have read many books, have studied hard and taken many courses, be cultivated is to be sensitive to the well common of human, non-human, is to be a person with a conscience and open heart to think more in terms of personal interest, or the interest of groups who identifies and belongs, but to be able to think about things more generally. Being able to think of the common good and the community of living beings and the planet itself.
Also addressed the letter of universal compassion of Karen Armstrong.
PB: In fact the second text that public and to which I give importance is the call for universal compassion. It is an attempt to respond to a letter that was written in 2009 by Professor Karen Armstrong, letter by compassion. This document proposes that compassion is a core value of education societies, and that is to be cultivated in our children. It is a document that have much impact and that is being supported by many governments, but when we read the letter noticed that continues to refer to humans, I with other friends within the circle "between being" which is an association that we have in terms of ethical and philosophical thinking, wrote a letter for universal compassion where we suggest that this feeling of empathy extends not only to the next, for the good humanity, but covering the animals and the planet as a whole. We have achieved the support of some well-known figures, the Dalai Lama, Satish Kumar, we have the president of the macrobiotic institute of Portugal, Francisco Varatojo and two writers, Manuela Gonzaga and Miguel Real and Joyce d'Silva, of the compassion Institute to animals.
The letter in essence wants compassion for whom?
PB: For humans, animals and the planet. In the background is a series of points where we assume the awareness that all living things are interconnected and are committed to live in a way that is not harmful to anyone, not for humans, nonhumans, or the planet and then people can put into practice in their life.
But, this letter gains this dimension because we live in a society lacking in values in general.
PB: I think that's obvious, our societies have no values or fundamental references, without it there is always groups of people in conflict and competition with others. Fundamental values of all cultures, religions and traditions are love, friendship, solidarity, respect, understanding and compassion, these feelings are unfortunately not provided or by families or in schools where they can teach children to be more compassionate with the next, we teach them to compete, to develop their cognitive and intellectual capabilities, but we do not teach emotional intelligence and in the work world as we all know there is a widespread competition in a narcissistic and materialistic society. This has generated a number of problems in which we found ourselves and the idea is that changes are required in various economic, political and legal levels and we have to live in a fairer society at all levels. But if we ourselves are not more just and a compassionate person is very difficult, even if such measures exist, if they are put in place will be violated. My point is that we start a new secular spirituality, one can continue with the religion you have, can be of people who become aware that it is important to develop values such as compassion, such as understanding and extend it to others. Any human being either atheist or an agnostic may be sensitive to such values, the importance of compassion, not be indifferent to the suffering of others, whether humans or animals and do something for free you of that pain.
"Who is my neighbor?" Follows the work of the circle "between being"?
PB: It is an association that sets that exists in interconnection with others in terms of philosophical and ethical values.
This book is one of its components?
PB: What we do is to promote these values. This book serves as the association door "between-being."
