Questions of Power and Morality
Plato: critique of Athenian democracy as inevitably corrupted by the ignorance and passions of the masses.
Du Bois: deep analysis of the intransigence of white supremacy in the American democratic experiment.
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For Cornel West, race matters ultimately involve questions of power and morality. West frames these questions by referring to great historical thinkers, like Plato and Du Bois, in an effort to establish both a structural blueprint for his essays as well as to indicate that his approach to addressing these questions and problems of race will be philosophically analytic.
Du Bois: deep analysis of the intransigence of white supremacy in the American democratic experiment.
---
For Cornel West, race matters ultimately involve questions of power and morality. West frames these questions by referring to great historical thinkers, like Plato and Du Bois, in an effort to establish both a structural blueprint for his essays as well as to indicate that his approach to addressing these questions and problems of race will be philosophically analytic.
West's Structure of Argument
Before beginning each essay, West uses a relevant quote from a prominent thinker, writer, philosopher fighting for racial equality. The use of these quotes places West's essay and book within a historical context of a great struggle for racial equality, as well as provide a statement of theme regarding the essay to follow.
West's handling of each essay involves first laying down a careful, succinct historical foundation followed by a clear statement of the problem addressed in that specific essay (ex. "Nihilism in Black America", "The Pitfalls of Racial Reasoning", The Crisis of Black Leadership"). After the problem has been stated, West builds his theories on how best to tackle the issues in clear numbered points, much in the way the ancient Greek philosophers' arguments are structured in their own texts.
West's handling of each essay involves first laying down a careful, succinct historical foundation followed by a clear statement of the problem addressed in that specific essay (ex. "Nihilism in Black America", "The Pitfalls of Racial Reasoning", The Crisis of Black Leadership"). After the problem has been stated, West builds his theories on how best to tackle the issues in clear numbered points, much in the way the ancient Greek philosophers' arguments are structured in their own texts.