Various philosophical movements are a significant part of human psychology. Consequently, all the actions taken by governmental bodies in our society are influenced by particular philosophies to a specific extent. The Constitution’s governmental activities, legislation, and acts can be created based on philosophical principles. The civil rights formation and many social institutions such as family and marriage also include particular insights inherent to a specific intellectual movement. The current paper analyzes the impact of the process philosophy on the American government and society regarding civil rights and family institutions.
While addressing the inquiry “What is process philosophy?”, it is necessary to stress that it is considered a direction in metaphysics. It is a unique way of philosophical understanding of reality, the general idea of which is the fundamental category of the process. This intelligent direction states that nothing like substances – except the sense of God – would be revealed in the form of this stream of changes. Researchers define the process as an actual or possible event comprising an integrated series of related developments unfolding in program coordination (Browning and Myers 2021). In other words, process philosophy claims that the moving power of progress in society is a change or a series of events systematically related to each other, causally or functionally.
The philosophy of process has significantly affected the American values system and even legislation. Examples of its impact can be found in the abolishment of slavery. The 13th and 14th Amendments ensured African Americans’ rights protection, highlighting the illegal nature of slavery (Scalise 2020). There were particular historical premises for this change, such as the Civil War in the US in 1861-1865 and the evolution of public sentiments (Scalise 2020). These events were interrelated and served as a trigger for the change. The moral development and the advancement of inequality regarding civil rights protection were possible only through the number of random or subsequent events leading to change. Only the process itself was of significance in this case. Thus, in this example, the political perspective of the ruling bodies and social sentiments were rooted deep in the process philosophy.
Another instance of the process philosophy influencing American legislation and society is connected with the family and marriage institution. The legal acceptance of same-sex marriage in some states is a perfect example of the process resulting from the change. The U.S. Supreme Court declared part of the Defense of Marriage Act unconstitutional (Darel 2018). As a result, people in same-sex marriages gained equal rights with other married couples in benefits and taxes (Darel 2018). Thus, the discriminatory idea that marriage is only a union between a man and a woman was finally abolished, and universal equality, regardless of sexual identity, ultimately triumphed.
Then, one may ask, “How has process philosophy impacted education and the American state of mind?” Due to this phenomenon, liberalism was developed in American society. Both discussed examples correlate with this perspective as this political and moral philosophy is based on freedom, the consent of the governed, and equality in the face of the law. Many educational institutions incorporated the essentials of liberalism in their curricula. Process philosophy and changes that it brought to the legislation and society regarding the rights of African Americans and same-sex couples evoked liberal ideas.
The philosophy of process contributed to the establishment of equality. The substance of particular events is of no importance. Thus, the discussed philosophical movement significantly impacted American legislation changes. Moreover, the progress of social values can also be described through the facets of process philosophy. Besides the examined cases, other examples of the manifestation of the philosophy of process in the Americans’ views can be found. Therefore, this philosophical direction is vital in forming American values and legislation.
References
Browning, Douglas, and William Myers. 2021. Philosophers of Process. New York: Fordham University.
Darel, Paul. 2018. From Tolerance to Equality: How Elites Brought America to Same-Sex Marriage. Waco: Baylor University Press.
Scalise, Conor. 2020. “American Duality: The Legal History of Racial Slavery in the United States of America.” Honors Pap., University of Connecticut.