As I said yesterday, we will use the "Moral Philosophy in Context" scheme to describe the Declaration.
The first part (first paragraph) reads as follows:
§1 The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen united States of America, When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.
Metaphysical Assumptions and a Theory of Human Nature
Nature--the universe and everything in it, is a creation governed by inviolable "laws." Though they are inviolable, they require human beings to obey (or otherwise follow) these laws. Human beings have freedom of action, and though they be in error they can disobey these laws. Although Natural Law is distinguished grammatically from Nature's God, the two concepts are contingent upon each other, one necessitates and legitimizes the other. This is brought into clarity when considering St. Thomas Aquinas's distinction between Revealed and Natural theology. Revealed theology is knowledge of God revealed through scripture, informed theological exegesis and commentary, and viable "mystical" or aesthetic experiences. Natural theology is knowledge of God revealed through nature, which is assumed to be god's creation. Human nature is construed along the lines of God's creative and governing magisterium (and I use the word here in a political rather than a theological sense). Human beings are God's property (admittedly, this is an extrapolation, but the notion will figure importantly in Section 2).
Moral Assumptions
"Decent respect to the opinions of Mankind." The assumption seems to be that as central actors in God's universe and God's plan, human beings are required to communicate with each other their theological, moral, and political understanding. The arena of human communication is part of nature, and is thus integral (and subject to) the laws of nature and nature's God. Our separate and equal station" is our political and ontological status regarding one another--human beings are created equal under the laws of nature--that is, under the law they all may pursue life, liberty and property--they are at liberty to thrive and flurish: to pursue eudemonia, or health and well-being.
Political Assumptions
As autonomous actors in God's plan, human beings are involved in a natural social contract in which they are separate (autonomous) and equal (subject equally and fairly to natural restrictions and liberties under the same Natural Law). Ergo, communications regarding a peoples' living under the protections of Natural Law are necessary to promulgate and follow that law.
The second part (second paragraph) reads as follows:
§2 We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are
created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable
Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.--That
to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their
just powers from the consent of the governed, --That whenever any Form of
Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to
alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation
on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall
seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will
dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and
transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn, that mankind are
more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves
by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of
abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to
reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to
throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future
security.--Such has been the patient sufferance of these Colonies; and such is
now the necessity which constrains them to alter their former Systems of
Government. The history of the present King of Great Britain is a history of
repeated injuries and usurpations, all having in direct object the
establishment of an absolute Tyranny over these States. To prove this, let
Facts be submitted to a candid world.
Claims for Logic and Reason, Metaphysical Assumptions, and a Theory of Human Nature
Logic: There is truth and there are things that are self-evident. Rather than syllogisms or appeals to logic, these truths are regarded as revealed through a reasonable, skeptical and peer-reviewed--consensual, but also tentative, earnest and civil--study of nature. Metaphysics: there is a a creator God, and we are God's property. Human Nature: Among our endowments (or central to our character) are Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness (see my discussion regarding Aristotle and the Meaning of Eudemonia). God is deserious that we love him, and therefore he has given us the right to pursue such properties, experiences, improvements to our character and well-being, which shall encourage us to return his love. This is the highest aim of his plan. Ergo, we are to seek to cooperate, support and tolerate one another so as to enhance our ability to choose to love God. Love without choice is not love. Human nature: though we are flawed in our condition, we are capable of studying inspired revelation and God-in-Nature and discovering in our studies god's purpose and plans.
Moral Assumptions
It is incumbent upon us to protect God's property; i.e, it is incumbent upon us to protect ourselves from sundry actors--uninspired, craven, tyrannical, and evil people (and systems) that seek to hinder, delimit and damage God's property. Thus, nature demonstrates that we not only have a right but also a duty to protect God's property. We are members of the human community, and through our community--our intercourse, our communications, our leadership and our actions, we identify and execute such structures that should guarantee our status as God's property and subjects of God's plan. Power thus comes from the people.
Political Assumptions
Action shall be measured, informed, and construed along these metaphysical and moral lines, and it is in our Nature to correct any systems or actors that restrict our rights; and in their place we configure new systems that will return the community to a position where our rights and God's plan can be exercised. The community, moreover, is a community of individuals whose rights, safety and happiness are the end-goals of proper, just and lawful political systems and actions. Systems that injure, abuse and usurp the rights of the people (of individuals) are unlawful and are to be--must be--overturned.
Inversion
As I point out in my scheme, rather than metaphysics or a theory of human nature, politics can be the actual driver. Here we might adroitly observe the British empire of King George III was abusing the colonies, and the colonists had had enough. That is, the colonies had a sizable middle- and upper-middle-class, and they had had enough of the King's nonsense. Meanwhile, I suspect the system as it's described here flowing from metaphysics and a proper understanding of human nature (rather than crass politics), is valid and operative here.
Tomorrow: Parts 3, 4, 5.
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