The Idea
Modernity is understood here not as an innocent sphere that opens the doors of progress for everyone, but as a force that may also be used to impose cultural standards on other societies. The basic meaning is that what is presented in the name of reason and modernization can turn into a means of domination if it erases the diversity of civilizational experiences or diminishes their value.
Concise Formulation
Modernity: it can be used ideologically to dominate non-European cultures
Its Place in the Book’s Argument
This claim lies at the heart of the argument that seeks to free the concept of modernity from its reassuring image. The book does not simply call for contemporaneity; rather, it warns that contemporaneity itself may carry an unequal relationship with non-European cultures. Critique thus becomes part of a broader understanding of modernity, not a rejection of it.
Why It Matters
The importance of this statement lies in the fact that it prevents a naïve reading of modernity as a ready-made solution to all problems. It also helps us understand Arkoun as a thinker who links progress to the question of cultural justice, not merely to the importation of a single model. In this sense, criticism of domination becomes part of defending intellectual dignity.
Brief Evidence
Modernity is understood here not as an innocent sphere that opens the doors of progress for everyone, but as a force that may also be used to impose cultural standards on other societies. The basic meaning is that what is presented in the name of reason and modernization can turn into a means of domination if it erases the diversity of civilizational experiences or diminishes their value.
Reading Questions
- How does this understanding change the image of modernity when it is transferred to a non-European context?
- Is the criticism here directed at modernity itself, or at the way it is used?
Level of Documentation
High: the claim appears in a clear location in the book’s material.