At Colorado College, professors like Timothy Fuller, Professor of Political Science, do not limit their rigorous teachings to the classroom—many go above and beyond in their field of specialty
Fuller’s recently published articles on Micheal Oakeshott, one of the most influential conservative thinkers of the 20th century, delve into defining the true nature of politics.
In “Politics as the Pursuit of Intimations,” Fuller begins by addressing Oakeshott’s critique of rationalism, which Fuller defines as “our mistaken belief that human reason is self-sufficient and can solve every problem.”
Oakeshott does not critique reason, but rather humanity’s narrow conception of rationality in which humanity approaches every form of inquiry. Fuller continues to argue that through the lens of the natural sciences.
Furthermore, humanity, according to Fuller, preaches a detachment from the events they study. However, entering politics will force them to abandon this way of thought, as formulas or theories exist only in the abstract. “All we can do is attempt the best we can under tough circumstances,” said Fuller.
Oakeshott explains how those in power find themselves making decisions, which are particular to each situation, and where the future outcomes of these judgment calls are more complicated than we can predict.
In politics, when the future is difficult to foresee and past experiences are open to continual interpretation and disagreement, Fuller places greater emphasis on “prudence or practical knowledge.” This is more important, Oakeshott would argue, than rationalism’s obsession with procedures or methods that promise the ability to make fail-safe decisions. In politics, there is no such thing.
Fuller writes that politicians thus become like the individuals trapped in Plato’s Allegory of the Cave: they are forced to contend with the shadows moving on the wall and operate in ordinance with how these things appear to be, though the philosopher who escapes and looks down sees that there is no order in the shadows’ movements. The cave is but an imperfect reflection of how life should be but it is still where the affairs of practical life take place.
The philosopher, Fuller argues, questions the opinions people hold rather than endorsing them, and through this gains a detachment that allows him or her to critically view the truth of human experience. However, the requirements of political activity force the politician to say where they stand, decide what they are going to do, and endorse policies.
This tragic conflict, where politicians have no choice but to act the way they do, is addressed in Fuller’s second essay, “The Compensations of Oakeshott.”
Oakeshott did not believe in Plato’s idea of a transcendent reality, where there is a different dimension inaccessible to human perception—nor did he adhere to any religion. To compensate for this lack of religious or philosophical transcendence Oakeshott introduces the experience of the poetic.
“This ability to see something beautiful is the common human experience even amongst all the not so beautiful things,” said Fuller.
If you are interested in reading more, see Fuller’s third essay, titled “Oakeshott’s Pilgrimage Past J. S. Mill,” to be published in the Spring 2015 issue of Modern Age and “Rationalism in Politics and other Essays” by Micheal Oakeshott.