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Therefore, Michael Frey began his book mit Gemeinsinn Liberalismus (Liberalism and Common Sense, Political Philosophy of Nassif Nassar in the Lebanese Context) published in German (2019) with the general question: How do you read contemporary Arabic philosophy?
Frey presents a philosopher largely unknown in the West, although he has produced a wide range of works, and his readers are numerous in the Arab world: Nassif Nassar, born in 1940, was a professor of philosophy at the Lebanese University until his retirement in 2005. He received a doctorate in philosophy at the Sorbonne, returned to his homeland in 1967 and has since stopped publishing in French, opting to write in Arabic.
The spirit of political optimism of the 1960s was more attractive to the young author than his career in the West. In Beirut, he taught his idea of a new socio-political order in an academic setting: the university, and at the same time trained philosophy professors to work in schools. After the decline of colonialism, and in the countries of the Middle East, the debate on how to make school children able to think independently was closely related to the development of philosophy as an academic discipline. Here, Nassar became an active critic of any form of closed world view and a political philosopher whose works are still published by the major Arab publishers.
Frey quotes his Moroccan colleague Mohamed Mesbahi, who, like many Moroccan protesters, describes the philosophy as “problematic”, constantly testing the red lines. Michael Free is able to illustrate the vitality of philosophical discussions with a variety of wonderful cross references to Arab media, both digital and analog. It points out the different voices between Beirut and Casablanca that attribute more confidence in themselves than is usually the case outside the region. In 2018, Nassif Nassar was honored by the Paris / Monde Arab Institute, in cooperation with the Antonina University of Beirut, for his work on his life.
Frey offers independent introductions to twelve studies and six collections of the philosopher’s essays. That in itself is impressive work, and the book is worth reading for these introductions alone. Free is able to traverse large areas of understanding with this working group.
Michael Frey’s book comes at a time when Lebanon is once again fighting for a just division of power and religious representation is a fundamental issue. It is therefore a good time to meet a Lebanese thinker with a mature body of work on liberalism, democracy and justice, for which we now have a first introduction in a European language.
In Nassar’s work as a whole, two basic points emerge: the overcoming of ideological thinking that leads societies to the political abyss again and again, and the question of a just social order. The last point, in particular, began with the publication of his book The Logic of Power – Introduction to the Philosophy of Order in 1995.
Frey points out where Nassar’s thinking is connected to the philosophy of Western modernity and, at the same time, how he raises existential questions that concern us all. “Both Nassar and Hobbes took the sectarian disintegration of their societies and the experiences of injustice of the people within them as a basis for rethinking politics.” “Who compares Nassar’s starting point with an assessment of Helmouth-Blassner society rather than a sense of community based on religious affiliation,” adds Frey. Is it desirable for Frey’s book to be read by Western philosophers and sociologists, or is the book too specific? What should an Arab author contribute to the Anglo-European debate?
It rejects all forms of democratic relativism that have proliferated in the 21st century.
For Michael Frey, this interaction is simply not desirable from an academic point of view; It is necessary to agree on “the multicultural authority of concepts such as justice, tolerance, freedom and specific rights in an era of advanced globalization”.
How are things in Europe, for example, with the social preconditions for liberalism and community spirit?
Could mutual thinking be of interest here? What can the liberal model of society offer in the era of populism and, above all, to whom? What will happen when the majorities of Europe or the United States do not want democracy? All of these issues require urgent attention that goes well beyond the usual limits.
The discussion has been opened (so far at least) to others in only one direction. These questions should make it clear that philosophy can provide true solidarity that comes from the soul of reason; This is how we should think at the core of Nassar’s work, in which he rejects all forms of democratic relativism that have become so widespread in the 21st century.
Frey’s book was published at a time when Lebanon was once again fighting for a just division of power and religious representation became a central issue. As we have seen in recent weeks, many citizens want to get rid of the ridiculous form of quota democracy, which was also imposed in Iraq in 2003. It should be noted that Frye, at the end of her study, offers optimistic expectations for the. Arab world! The protests have shown that libertarian and critical ideas refuse to be erased and that “they also increasingly apply in the realm of daily life.”
Our inability to translate and read thinkers like Nassif Nassar (and other non-European philosophers) often leads us to the erroneous conclusion that there are no critical or self-critical thinkers, and no public debate about them.
* German researcher in political studies
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