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Pub Do you have something to say about life, the universe and everything
else but no one to say it to? You can tell us! We’re a group of friends who
meet every Sunday at Sunday, “What are the necessary and sufficient conditions for
friendship?” If
you have any ideas or friends bring them along with you. Contact: Lawrence [email protected] tel
606081813 Pub Molly Malone’s, c/ Manuela Malasaña, 11, Madrid 28004 |
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What are the
necessary and sufficient conditions for friendship? Presumably, it is the applied bit that makes our philosophy meetings relevant and accessible to everyone. And they don’t come more applied than the nature and status of friendship. Friendship could very well cover the widest possible range of philosophy and human knowledge in general. Few would disagree that friendship is an important human interaction. Maybe the second most important after the family. A friend is someone we would choose as an exercise of our free will. Indeed, I would argue that friendship is a prima facie instance of an act of free will since not only do we want it, but we also receive it in many cases. But what is our duty or obligation towards friends? For example, should we always be honest with a friend or should we sometimes try to protect them from the realities of life? Human relationships also raise questions about the nature of friendship. What is the metaphysical factor between two friends? The family seems to me to be at one end of this metaphysical consideration. Choosing a partner is at the other end of the metaphysical spectrum. In the first case, we have no choice, but we are still bound to the family; indeed, for better or for worse. A partner, at least in our society, is someone we choose and voluntarily feel bound to, all things being equal! Genes and Darwinism might put the family and a partner in context? But does this mean that families and partners are biologically determined? And therefore the idea of friendship does not arise? If, that is, we accept that friendship is an act of free will. And following this, in which metaphysical context do we then put friendship? Do we appeal to the behavioural sciences, sociology or even anthropology? Economics might also give us a hand here, but then, how do we account for altruism amongst friends? And I don’t just mean buying your mate a pint one Sunday afternoon. The concept of friendship goes beyond individuals. In politics we have the concept of allies and the European Union seems to rely heavily on the concept of friendship. On the other hand, how do we square the semantics with the facts in an institution like the United Nations? And in business we have joint ventures, mergers and partnerships. Is the profit motive compatible with the concept of friendship? And what do the shareholders think? Mathematics, in the form of game theory, might come to the rescue at this point to help us understand friendship. It is generally accepted that cooperation is the best strategy in a relationship; this is also known as a win-win strategy. But where is the win-win payback in an act based on obligation or duty? Maybe information theory can tell us how much information we are missing out on in real life to help us understand friendship. This is part of the scenery for the act on friendship down at the theatre of life. All that’s missing is you and the necessary and sufficient conditions. See you Sunday. |
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