Social+Philosophy

Social philosophy studies the relationship between the individual and the group. We are social beings who have a claim to rights. Social philosophy explores how our rights and the duties and how those rights create ought to be assessed and rendered.

Many animals are social, but only human beings engage in social philosophy. Social Philosophy is necessary for human beings because we are capable of acting morally and therefore immorally. Other living things cannot act in violation of their natures—we can. We must employ deliberate social means that yield the freedom that we seek. This is the goal of the Catholic social justice movement. (1928-1933) Social philosophy seeks to balance individualism and collectivism in order arrive at justice.



1. Happiness is doing your own thing. 2. Individuals should be as free as possible to do, as they will. 3. Values focus on the individual ethic 4. The group’s value comes from the ability to aid or support individuals: Service Delivery Model 5. Freedom = **Liberty**: the freedom to be __apart from__ the group. 6. Emancipation means to seek or receive the freedom of liberty.
 * Individualism** is the social philosophy that emphasizes the value of the individual over the collective. Characteristics of Individualism include the beliefs that:

1. <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Happiness is doing the group thing. <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial; msofareastfontfamily: Arial; msolist: Ignore;">2. <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Groups should be as free as possible to do as they will. <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial; msofareastfontfamily: Arial; msolist: Ignore;">3. <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Values focus on the collective culture. <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial; msofareastfontfamily: Arial; msolist: Ignore;">4. <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">The Individual’s value comes from his/hers ability to contribute to the group: Community Formation Model <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial; msofareastfontfamily: Arial; msolist: Ignore;">5. <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Freedom = **Equality**: the freedom to be __part of__ a group. <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial; msofareastfontfamily: Arial; msolist: Ignore;">6. <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Suffrage means to seek or accept the freedom of equality. <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">
 * <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Collectivism **<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"> is the social philosophy that emphasizes the value of the collective over the individual. Characteristics of Collectivism include the beliefs that:

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The proper balance of the individualism and collectivism vary from one thing to another depending on the purpose for the group. The Marines, because they rely on each other in combat situations, have a far greater need for teamwork that the Thursday afternoon sewing circle.

When the two schools are in balance then justice is done to the best of our ability. Collectivism and individuals cannot be balanced once and for all because we live in a dynamically ordered universe. We will always have to struggle in order to attain justice.