Pluralism (Part I): Pluralism versus universalism

Modernity is the widespread project on seeking the knowledge sureness of nature and human. Here, the truth is something that could be ensured (clara et distincta) and prevailed universally. Therefore, modern’s seeking based on concrete experience, logic measuring, sistematically testing, and methodically argumentation. This processes result sains, system of knowledge, technology that prevailed universally, and the universal systems of value (democracy, human right, and so on).

Unfortunately, this universal systems of value and knowledge inflict some negative aftermath: the local wisdom is eliminated, the life style is uniformed, mechanization, etc. Modernity that begins with rationalization, ends with irrational states. This irrational states engender postmodernism’s prospensity: anti-universalism and start to consider the local discourses or pluralism. Here, conflict between pluralism versus universalism became explicit.

As philosophy’s issue, conflict between pluralism and universalism had happening along two era. This conflict actualizes in paradox symptom: the implosive trend (disintegration of borders and unite in certain cooperation/the pluralism) is accompanied by the explosive one by the extreme affirmation on limits. The paradox symptom, in East, emerges in the trend of refusing West’s worldview as one wanting to live it. Induvidually, this paradox symptom appear in someone’s choices: between self’s right and community’s obligation, etc.