Page - 156 - in Reflective Cosmopolitanism - Educating towards inclusive communities through Philosophical Enquiry

156 REfLECTIvE COsMOPOLITANIsM Leading Idea 3: Investigation and mistake Every time we have a problem, we activate a process of investigation to find a solution. The type of problem is not necessarily important; it can have a wide range of complexities, from the lowest to the highest. We are able to activate, also unconsciously, criteria of investigation based on an inductive and deductive reasoning process. In so doing we take into account the information gathered from our experience to reach universal (or generalized) conclusions or, using the opposite approach, we start from universal (or general) premises to investigate particular cases. In any event, in everyday life, a rational inductive or deductive approach, if not supported by a critical perspective that takes into account the contexts within which the inquiry takes place, can generate wrong or prejudiced generalizations or, conversely, produ- ce from wrong or prejudiced universal/general beliefs, hurried conclusions. If, in my experience, I notice that the Muslims I know never drink beer, I could infer that no Muslim drinks beer. In this case, I am not considering the nuances existing in the global reality. It could be that there are some Muslims that are respectful of their religion and so- metimes drink beer, and this does not alter the fact that they are still being good Muslims. Conversely, if I start from the premise “Africans have rhythm in their blood”, I could ask my African friend to teach me to dance without considering that my friend might not be good at dancing, and therefore risk offending him. The awareness of the possibility of being wrong, and the openness to the possibility of making mistakes, are fundamental in the investigation process and can help to correct some assumptions that might not be true. Under a cosmopolitan perspective, for example, this awareness is very important since it gives us the possibility to consider all the nuances of our reality, thereby protecting us against easy generalizations that often become prejudices. Discussion Plan: Investigating 1. If my dog shakes his tail when he meets me, does that mean that all dogs in the word shake their tails when they meet a person? 2. If I know that people in love usually hug each other and I see two people hug- ging, does that mean that they are in love? 3. Given that my brother and I quarrel all the time, does that mean that all brothers and sisters in the word quarrel all the time? 4. If I have a problem, do I have to solve it as quickly as possible? 5. If I have a problem, do I need a lot of time to reason about it in order to solve it? 6. If I have a problem, what are the components I need to solve it? 7. What do I have to do to solve a problem? 8. Is there only one way to solve a problem? 9. How many kinds of problems exist? 10. Do all problems have a solution? 11. Are there any problems that should not or are not meant to be solved? Exercise a): What would you do if you were in their place? A. Giuseppe has been invited to Jemina’s party. Giuseppe is very happy to have re- ceived the invitation, and wants to make a good impression by giving her a beau- tiful present. The problem is that Giuseppe does not know Jemina very well; she has been in his class for a few months and she is always seated next to Giovanna, who has become one of her best friends. Giuseppe knows only that Jemina has