Upload
somik-raha
View
44
Download
0
Tags:
Embed Size (px)
DESCRIPTION
A talk given to the Center for Child Rights, National Law School, Nov 24, 2014
Citation preview
Finding Your VoiceClarity. Freedom. Truth.
Somik Raha
A talk for Center for Child and the Law, Nov 24 2014
Clarity.
–Rabindranath Tagore
“The small truth has words that are clear. The great truth has great silence.”
Exercise.
http://mtviewmirror.com/wp-content/uploads/jimcrowprotest.jpg
Exercise
Iceberg, right ahead!
Minor Premise
Major Premise
Major Premise
Minor Premise
Find the Major Premise
Examples of challenging the major premise
India escaped the financial crisis because of nationalization of banks
Liberalization does not protect us from financial ruin
Examples of challenging the major premise
Police are better with men than with women in filing FIRs
Police are dinosaurs in their gender sensitivity
Examples of challenging the major premise
Juvenile delinquents actually pose a threat to society, are unchangeable, and evil
India is violating its obligations on child rights
Why is it so hard to spot the major premise?
If you feel strongly about something, you are likely to miss the major premise!
Because you are intensely focused! Finding the major premise requires detaching from what you care about.
Takeaway 1
If you feel strong about something, artificially treat it as a minor premise, and ask, “What is the major premise?”
Six Elements of Decision Quality
Framing
Alternatives
Information
Values
Integration
Commitment to Action
Cool Head Warm Heart
Appropriate Meaningful
Feasible Inspiring
Relevant, Material Decisive
Preferences (trade-offs) Noble Purpose
Clear logic Narrative
Action plans Laddership
Focus on where your biggest weakness and strengthen it
Six Elements of Decision Quality
Framing
Alternatives
Information
Values
Integration
Commitment to Action
Cool Head Warm Heart
Appropriate Meaningful
Feasible Inspiring
Relevant, Material Decisive
Preferences (trade-offs) Noble Purpose
Clear logic Narrative
Action plans Laddership
Focus on where your biggest weakness and strengthen it
ExerciseCritique advocacy
from the perspective of
decision quality
ConsequencesAvoid value-loaded language when
making arguments
e.g. “social justice”, “equality”
Be careful of associative logic errors
e.g. Deen mey dari hai, dari mein deen nahi (The faithful have beards,
but the beard has no faith)
e.g. Jainism and non-violence/vegetarian
e.g. Democracy and human rights
Get beyond philosophy/ideology and into clarity of action
e.g. Dating question, Is leader X right for India?
Take holistic, ethical perspective
Shortcuts can create more problems!
e.g. ethical pitfalls of coercion, legal system as that part of your personal
ethical code you are willing to impose on others by force
Takeaway 2
Instead of ideological advocacy, focus on decision quality
Freedom.
Exercise.
Pick a topic you are greatly passionate about. Close your eyes and come up with your most powerful argument.
When I ring the bell, tell it to your partner.
Debrief.
In the second try, was your partner convincing?
A Great Debate
What does it take to travel to the other side?
Takeaway 3
Leave your current body (context), and travel into another one to experience what is being talked about.
Takeaway 4Enroll your opponent’s well-wisher as your judge.
Dalai Lama Case Study
Takeaway 5
Test your assumption of what your opponent cares about.
Nagarjuna can help!
Professor Nagarjuna Chancellor, Nalanda University
The proposition is true
The proposition is false
The proposition is both true and false
The proposition is neither true nor false
Tetralemma of Nagarjuna.
Takeaway 6
When passionate about your position, slow down and feel the truth of each lemma.
The proposition is true
The proposition is false
The proposition is both true and false
The proposition is neither true nor false
How do you retain your freedom when someone comes charging at you?
FA C I N G AT TA C KT H E E A S T E R N W A Y
http://c.aikiweb.com/gallery_data/525/Aikido-3AD_04.jpg
http://blog.aikidojournal.com/media/morihei-ueshiba-throwing-tada-575.jpg
http://www.aikidomiami.com/photos/Aikido//Ueshiba.gif
http://www.aikidowagga.com.au/media/uploads/AikG.jpg
A I K I D O = T H E W AY O F H A R M O N I Z I N G W I T H T H E L I F E F O R C E
“Attacker” and “defender” are replaced by “receiver” and “applier”
The technique is an excuse to experience oneness
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KihiVy0in4E
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QIv80U4BjRw
The technique is an excuse to experience oneness
Takeaway 7
To change your attacker’s direction, you have to unite first and then move in the better direction together.
Truth.
Service.Wu: “How much merit have I earned for my support of Buddhism?”
Bodhidharma: “None. Deeds that expect worldly return may bring good karma but produce no merit whatsoever.”
Wu: “Then, what is the highest meaning of noble truth?”
Bodhidharma: “There is no noble truth, only emptiness.”
Wu: “Then who is standing before me?”
Bodhidharma: “I do not know, your majesty,” And he left.
The Virtuous Butcher
Sacred Service
Grandmother
Gandhi Meta-strategy
Meta-strategy of Jainism
aliveness
Meta-strategy of plastic packaging firm
Your voice. Unique voice.
Show examples of couple.
Takeaway 8
Know thyself.
Akash Bhora.
Takeaways
1. If you feel strong about something, artificially treat it as a minor premise, and ask, “What is the major premise?”
3. Leave your current body (context), and travel into another one to experience what is being talked about.
4. Enroll your opponent’s well-wisher as your judge.
5. Test your assumption of what your opponent cares about.
6. When passionate about your position, slow down and feel the truth of each lemma.
7. To change your attacker’s direction, you have to unite first and then move in the better direction together.
8. Know thyself.
2. Instead of ideological advocacy, focus on decision quality. Clarity
Freedom
Truth