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ELIZABETH TROTT
we abhor. Should one assume that everything in a culture could be rejected,
he calls such an assumption one “of supreme arrogance."" Still, there is a
weakness in Taylor’s extended paper.*’
Taylor does not lay out criteria for what is to be admired. When
encountering clitoral circumcision and stoning rabbits to death, how much
do we need to know about a culture’s theories and world views to appreciate
that such practices might not be worthy of moral approval? Taylor wants to
defend the canons of Western democracy, but assumes they are self-evident.
How do we convey that they are obvious truths? An endless conversation
amongst cultures will probably lead nowhere unless the principles of rational
discussion and the possibility of modifying conceptual interpretations can be
accepted by the discussants.°®
Ihe recognition of difference will not create paths to problem-solving.
Should the promotion of constructs for debate be mandatory in any classroom,
such as freedom of expression, logical coherence, shared methods of problem
solving, i.e. objective criteria in determining good arguments independently
of seniority? Could one specific culture from the multi-cultures — all assumed
to have equal status — judge the above curriculum criteria to be the products
of arrogance, intolerance, and worthy of condemnation?
Taylor shuts down his exploration with the naive position that we will find
ways to get along, once we recognize each other as having a distinct culture.
But recognition, as in saying hello, does not guarantee that one culture will
not strive to overcome another.
Taylor’s book is an example of sophisticated wishful thinking.
Will Kymlika: The Disparaging International Response
Will Kymlika, philosopher at Queen’s University, Kingston, Ontario took up
the challenge in 1995 with the publication of Multiculturalism Citizenship.*
His books on multiculturalism, which have been translated into numerous
languages, provide arguments that we can accommodate the gathering
of cultures within the confines of liberal democracy in Canada. Kymlika
established an international reputation as a desired theorist with government
consultations. He was convinced that multiculturalism would be recognized
as a welcome re-conception of issues developing from increased movements
of cultures in the world. His more recent book on multiculturalism
Multicultural Odysseys (2007) reviews the combined efforts of international
36 Ibid., 72-73.
Trott, Multiculturalism, Charles Taylor, and the Idea of Canada, Alternative Frontiers, 35¬
50.
All of Canada’s early philosophers promoted these skills.
39 Will Kymlika, Multicultural Citizenship, Oxford, Clarendon, 1995.
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