American Indian Philosophy - Essay Example

‘American Indian Philosophy’ Introduction American Indian philosophical beliefs provide a great modern wisdom to the individuals. The basic components are the treatment methods fundamentally. It is about how the human beings treat God, His creation and the mother earth. The practical example can be grabbed from the lives of Native Americans (Smith and Thomas, 31). They are well interested in the well being of society and the environment. They are concerned towards finding the best possible ways to treat the environmental components. According to them, we get life from this environment and it helps us to grow up. It is a most foolish thing ever if somebody does not care for the natural environment. It also offers ethical aspects of life for example interpersonal relationships must be kind and free of distrust, people should exercise generosity instead of greed and there should be a worshipful and religious lifestyle rather than implementing on Sunday only religion. 1. Nature and the Physical Universe 1.1. Our Relationship with Natural World Relationship of individuals with the natural world is viewed in different ways by numerous philosophers and theorists. It is specified as an ambiguous and wooly rapport by some philosophers. While at the same time, many theories and concepts contradict with each other. The American Indian school of thought implies that people are the custodians of God on earth. They are sent to take care of this earth and environment. For the sake of reward, God has blessed man with a wide range of facilities to enjoy with. Humanity factor is also an important feature which affects the social life as well as the environment. In the view of other schools of thoughts and religious opinion, it is concerned that human, humanity, ethics, God, Mother Earth and environment are coordinated with each other (Smith and Thomas, 29). An individual has to carry its relationship of custodian which is specified by God. It is an implied duty which ought to be fulfilled by everyone. 1.2. Indian Time The Indian concept of time is rigorously ambiguous and complicated as compared to tradition western concept does. It implies that components in this universe are incessantly shifting, moving and transforming. Static time concept infuses the Indian notion of time. It further entails the phenomenology that an individual can never step in to the same place twice. It is more significant if the conceding effect of Indian notion of time can be observed indeed. In simple words, Indian time is the notion which describes the wider universality in a sense of continuous shifting around the scope and conditions of the universe. 1.3. Insights in to the Nature of Universe Nature and origin of the universe is explicated through several processes and progressions. The lucid insights towards religious and material world may be identified differently. Following are the views or processes which provide roadmap to create better understanding related to universe and its existence. Dualism: distinction of the parts prevailing in the universe is based upon two different parts such as being and non-being or mind or matter. Monism: this concept provides the basic idea that all is one. The derivation point of this idea is based upon oneness of God. All that is found in the world is directly related to God. This concept is more concerned with religion rather than logic. Monistic Theism: This state occurs anywhere between dualism and monism. Nature of God is derived as inspirational and subjective both. This offers a personal soul oriented relationship with God in an indifference way. Pantheism: It is some kind of extremist view about revealing that all is God and God is all. It permits that everything that exists in the universe is a forceful reaction of emanation of one God. The concept of monism is least favorable in presence of pantheism. 1.4. Meaning of Mother Earth According to a general view, Mother Earth (or sometimes known as Mother Nature) is a kind of personification for nature. It elaborates the aspects through which we get nurtured through natural environment and surroundings. It is a respectful phenomenon for the environment which has been created by God. The environment in which we live provides us various kinds of blessings, facilities and lessons. It is as resembling as a mother protects and takes care for her child to make him grown up. This is more observed in American Indian Philosophy in comparison of western traditional philosophical beliefs (Smith and Thomas, 13). 1.5. Native Cultures and How the World Works The earth is round and it can be observed through the common workability of a Native Indian. Philosophy states a brief process of socialization and interaction that lets different cultures to analyze one another. There are so many means related to socializing the cultures. The native cultures, which need to have a lucid world view by galvanizing their own values, are really more concerned towards knowing the world origins process. According to what I think about this issue is directly related to mind matching and all is God approach. 1.6. Difference Between Indigenous View and Western World View The beliefs of American Indian philosophy are based upon generosity and kindness. Europeans believe that a man is rich if he is wealthy while indigenous believe that if a person is helping, good in faith and kind to others then he is rich. The European standards of respect and admiration are based upon money and monetary wealth (social classed) where as the American Indian Standards of admiration are based on how a person treats other (Pratt and Scott, 89). Europeans are more concerned towards good acts for the sake of rewards from God while Americans do the good for the happiness of their God. 2. Social and Political Considerations 2.1. Relationship to the Community The relationship of individual and community said as spiritual. The people must interact with each other in order to improve the spirituality of the community. The social class differences are resolved while better communication will be in practice. The religious considerations are also in opinion of meeting people such that everybody might concede what is best possible. The Native American Philosopher Sioux, Black Elk has put in the concept of Sacred Hoop. According to this concept he has emphasized over the community and the complexity of the community. He stated that a group of individuals is vital to form a community while a group of communities forms a community of communities. 2.2. Gender Roles in Indigenous Cultures There are clearly defined roles and characteristics of both of the genders in indigenous cultures of American Indians. The indigenous cultures include Canadian aboriginal people and Native people of North America. Because of lucid responsibilities, the people were used to work in a well defined way to fulfill their role requirements. However in first nation times, males were a little bit louder than the women. In the ancient times, women rights were although not this much legalized. In a complete sense, it was not muddled up with the gender roles. 2.3. Moral Obligations Moral and religious obligations were society oriented. According to the obligation to self, a person needed to exercise religious duties. Any sort of self torture such as suicide was immoral and was not permissible. An individual’s role to his to her family was based on collectivism rather than individualism as it was being exercised in Europe (Pratt and Scott, 87). Society stated to help the poor generously rather feeling greed and money collection. It was a sophisticated system for the entire society that conjoins all of the people in a coordinated way. The class differences were discouraged and kind behavior with weaker like women and old people was morally encouraged. 2.4. Life on Reservation Reservation is a term which is used for American Indian Reservation. It is basically an area of land which is controlled by United States Department of the Interior Bureau of Indian Affairs. Out of 550 plus Indian tribes in the United States, around 310 tribes are on reservation. According to numerical representation, around 2.3 percent of the total land area of United States is currently on reservation. The distribution of reservations is purely uneven across the United States. The reservation is derived from the ratification of US constitution in which the Indian tribes demanded for independence sovereign authority (Fernandez and Lorri, 21). According to the figures of 2012, there are over one million Native Americans who were living on reservation. Life of the Indians who are living at reservations is somehow similar to the developing countries. For example the rate of infant mortality is high, life expectancy is lower, basic health care facilities are not abundantly available and the usage of drug and alcohol is very common and excessive. 2.5. Do Native people approve of sports teams with Indian mascots, nicknames or logos? The stated question is pointing towards a questionable controversy in United States since the early 1990s. Native people are against the usage of their specific nicknames, mascots and logos by the sporty teams which are not related to them. It causes a specific kind of harmful ethnic stereotyping which is needed to be eliminated. These names and logos are being used at numerous levels from high school teams to professional athletic teams. Indians do not approve this use of names, mascots and logos (Schneider and Wallace, 45). 3. History 3.1. How were the Americas populated? The Paleo Indian people reached to the Bering Land Bridge around 10,000 years before. When Columbus reached their and found a unique piece of land undiscovered, the major European and other states sent their people to populate the land. Basically Paleo Indians is a term which refers to the smaller bands of people who were the pioneer among all who populated in America. They were not well equipped of modern weapons and cattle which remained a drawback. They have a very short place in the history. It is because of lack of available information which is correlated (Schneider and Wallace, 34). 3.2. How were the Americas depopulated? The depopulation process was very rapid. History evidences about some epidemic disease that was spread over. It is not well clear that whether the disease was viral or bacterial. That disease became a main reason to kill a significant population of immigrants (paleo Indians). 3.3. History of religious and academic freedom for American Indian People The query of religious origin is a debatable question till yet but often it is misunderstood because of lack of available body of historical knowledge. The basic motivation, which is stated as the motivation for the religion, was socialization (often referred to as colonization). History identifies several stages and events through which the historical timeline may be analyzed. The most important event in the history of colonial period was the great awakening. During this period, the entire scenario was transformed. Educational, religious and social aspects were enlightened in a thorough manner (Martin, 78). The main freedom to exercise their beliefs through their actions was mainly focused in this era. After this, a number of reforms and remarkable events may be underlined such as religious revolution in 18th century in which religious conduct was primarily addressed. 3.4. AIM and Leonard Peltier AIM is an abbreviation of American Indian Movement. It is basically an activist organization related to the rights and rules of American Indians. It was founded in 1968 at Minneapolis, Minnesota. Agenda behind creation of this organization is stated as focusing on leadership, spirituality and power attainment. The founders of this movement were the major American Indian personnel. They used to conduct protests to get their major rights in society to clarify their unique identity. Several of the times, the members of AIM were legally threatened and sentenced by court (Martin, 67). There are several events may be found which are associated to the AIM such as rainbow coalition, presentation of 20 points list in front of federal government by seizing the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA). Leonard Petlier was a Native American and an activist member of AIM. He was imprisoned and sentenced by court in crime of killing two FBI (Federal Bureau of Investigation) agents during Pine Ridge Indian Reservation conflict. He is still imprisoned in US jail. His parole is expected in July 2024 whereas his expected release from jail is in 2040. 3.5. Acknowledging the Past and Building Good Future For several communities of native peoples, it is not considered as an intellectual exercise to have a discussion on the topic of reimbursement. Joining and coordinating different eras of life such as past, present and future is an issue for them. The American Indian precedents joined the roles of their ancestors after wars (Scarre, 91). The Native people were in believe that it is a clearly define phenomenon that past acknowledgment is a key way to ensure better future. The understanding of ancestors’ education and preaching and keeping them upwards is also an important debate ahead. 4. The Religious Dimension of Life 4.1. What is our relationship to the spiritual world? It is a collectively exhausted phenomenon which is explained by the relationship of material and spiritual world. Some of the philosophers debate over the issue that there is no direct relationship of material and spiritual world because both have entirely different elements indulged. On the other hand, many of them have conjoined the common characteristics together which identify the social life of an individual for example generosity. It is spiritual phenomenon for well being of society and community while material aspect is also included that is money or any monetary consideration. According to American Indian philosophy, an individual has spatial relationship with the society. These dimensions are as follows: Spiritual world possesses inestimable capacity There is no specified limitation of time and space Spiritual substance is immune in the human body The defined area of spirit world, according to one common opinion of all schools of thoughts, is the distance between human mind and God (Scarre, 44). 4.2. Difference Between Americans’ and Europeans’ Religion It is a known phenomenon that Americans are more religious than those of Western Europeans. There is the cultural and thinking difference that has caused this variation. Americans are more spiritual (more inclined toward realization of God) while Europeans are more inclined towards money and wealth creation. Americans adopt religion for the sake of good faith and happiness of God while Europeans are afraid of God’s anger so that they offer their religious obligation. The spiritual and supernatural beliefs of Europeans are limited. They exercise individualist religion which is intended to be performed for one’s self whereas the American religion is collectivist in order to generate spiritual community structure. 4.3. Religious Compatibility with Other Religions The religious compatibility is defined in two different dimensions. One is preaching and the other one is specified as beliefs. The preaching compatibility of their religion is almost alike because every religion preaches for spirituality in a broader and deeper view while at the same time beliefs of individuals might be different. For this way, I think it is compatible and at the same it is not. The common religions in American Tribes are Christianity, Longhouse Religion, Waashat Religion, Indian Shaker Religion, Drum Religion, Earth Lodge Religion, Drum Dance and Ghost Dance etc. 4.4. Can non-Indians practice “Indian religion” The Non Indians can exercise the Indian Religion as well. There are several coherent substances found which argue upon this phenomenon. The non Indians may be the people whose ancestors were basically belonged to North America such they are the followers of the religion. It is also a substance that spiritual and good faith beliefs are impressive for some person such that he or she decides to follow the certain religion. Federal government has although passed many bills of protections for American Indian religions protections and exemptions. These bills are passed under the special consideration of higher courts and higher authoritative judicial personnel. It is more common to believe on what looks right. In this way, I am agreed on the mid way point that everybody possesses the religious freedom and is free to adopt and exercise whichever the religion is suitable for him or her. Basic debate is the controversy of sensitivity of religions because the preachers and religious teachers are specific. They feel insecurity if any outsider tries to look in to their stuff while they do not have such an enormous dissatisfaction if anybody comes to them and exercise their religion with them at same residential area. It is because they could be able to look after the correct application and performance. 4.5. Why are some places considered “sacred” Some specific places are considered as holly or scare, it because these are associated with any specific religious event. The event is meant to be occurring at the place or there is some indirect relationship with the event. For example the church is considered as a holy place because it is considered as a peaceful, clean and spiritual place. 4.6. Meaning of Being Religious Being religious is not a controversial phenomenon rather it is more inclined towards spiritual accuracy. We have to perform a number of diverse conducts in life. In more simple words, being religious is to perform your daily chores according to the religious preaching. Being divergent or deliberately overlooking the rules of the religion is contradictory with the specific underlying phrase of being religious. It is important because the religion is code of conduct that teaches how to spend life and about other important spiritual issues. If some person is not following the associated rules, then it is pretty useless to show his or her identity with some specific religion (Schneider and Wallace, 45) . References Smith, Thomas M.. The dance of person and place: one interpretation of American Indian philosophy. Albany: State University of New York Press, 2010. Print. Pratt, Scott L.. Native pragmatism rethinking the roots of American philosophy. Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 2002. Print. Fernandez, Susan A., Lori Sperry, and Heath ophical, sociological, anthropological, political, health and other perspectives. Jefferson, N.C.: McFarland, 2009. Print. Schneider, Herbert Wallace. A history of American philosophy. 2d ed. New York: Columbia University Press, 1963. Print. Martin, Calvin. The American Indian and the problem of history. New York: Oxford University Press, 1987. Print. Scarre, Christopher. Smithsonian timelines of the ancient world. Washington, D.C.: Smithsonian Institution ;, 1993. Print. Read More