ABSTRACTTHE QUESTION OF RADICAL GENEROSITY: ETHICS AND POLITICS OF COSMOPOLITANISMByAli KashaniThis inquiry is about the following question: what conditions give rise to the possibility of cosmopolitanism. This study examines ethical and political conditions concerning cosmopolitanism, and argues that radical generosity is a key condition for the possibility of cosmopolitanism. Generosity involves benevolence that expects nothing in return. It does not depend on reciprocity, duty, calculation, or following a rule. It is an unconditional practice. Radical generosity differs from random acts of generosity that may happen from time to time, but do not have profound social and political impact. Radical generosity is a social practice, which has the potential to transform ethical and political practices. The practice of radical generosity has a transformative aspect, that is to say, it is a practice as a “way of life.” A “way of life” means practicing radical generosity as an everyday activity, which can become the ethos of society. In other words, radical generosity has the potential to challenge and transform existing values and norms. This study examines three distinct philosophical approaches to the possibility of cosmopolitanism. It examines cosmopolitanism as a “way of life” developed by Stoics thinkers in diverse ways, but lacking a political or institutional conception of cosmopolitanism. Then, examines two other approaches to cosmopolitanism, the “juridical-political”(Kant and Habermas) in the framework of political institutions, and the “beyond-normative”(Derrida and Levinas) in the realm of unconditional ethical responsibility. It acknowledges the importance and necessity of these approaches to cosmopolitanism and extracts certain ideas from these thinkers. It also problematizes and shows their limitations in certain respects in order to advance its argument. Finally, it attempts to develop a conception of radical generosity as a social practice in concrete terms, and underscore the idea of practice (praxis). The idea of practice (praxis) refers to human activities that transform material, social, and political conditions in historical terms. It attempts to show the relevance and importance of radical generosity as a key condition for the possibility of cosmopolitanism.
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