The Virtue of Tolerance

The concept of 'virtue' may seem outdated and worn to many, but it appears to be more necessary than ever. What the history of human civilization teaches us is that societies that have strayed from virtue become meaningless and trivial, leaving behind only selfishness and hedonistic individualism. However, a shared sense of collective life is not possible without virtue, as the quality of coexistence is based on the quality of human virtue. Therefore, virtue is an indicator of human dignity and merit, which Socrates sought when searching for the meaning of truth and freedom, and Aristotle spoke of as the best life dedicated to moderation. But the moderation in ethics and politics that Aristotle speaks of is nothing but the avoidance of the intolerance and violence arising from ignorance and the lack of tolerance. The common view is that tolerance is the acceptance and endurance of others, but it is not necessarily a virtue. However, tolerance is a virtue that emphasizes the plurality of differences and resolves conflicts that lead to violence. For this reason, the main idea of tolerance as a virtue, which is the recognition of 'the other' and 'respect' for their human dignity, has an inseparable connection with the principle of avoiding violence. In this regard, tolerance is a political and social virtue. It is social because it finds meaning with and for others, and it is political because it brings moderation into the public space and the common domain. Tolerance, as its name suggests, is a virtue free from extremism and excess, a desire for completeness and a one-sidedness. But tolerance is a virtue that places empathy at its core and accepts individuals based on their merit. Tolerance as a violence-averse virtue has an inherent capacity for reform and is understood within the framework of dialogue and intellectual and practical patience. In fact, prioritizing a virtue like tolerance among individuals creates a sense of trust, goodwill, and solidarity that gradually reduces the level of violence. Cultivating the virtue of tolerance is a learnable process, and through it, society becomes immune to the political harms of the cycle of violence. Promoting and encouraging this virtue plays an important role in creating coexistence and empathy among citizens. Therefore, education and training in tolerance significantly impact the advancement of interaction among citizens and improve the quality of social life. For this reason, the first step in cultivating the virtue of tolerance is to create a sense of empathy with others. Thus, it can be said that the virtue of tolerance has two important ethical dimensions: a sense of empathy and violence aversion. With the above considerations, it can be understood that tolerance is one of the solid pillars for the stability of virtuousness. The virtue of tolerance nurtures individuals with a spirit of moderation, respectful behavior towards others, and avoidance of discrimination, establishing the necessary moral and social frameworks for this purpose. In this way, members of society learn the necessary conditions for violence-averse behavior. In fact, the virtue of tolerance teaches us to live in plurality. Living in plurality means emphasizing the various meanings and concepts in life and creating a dialogue among different horizons. Avoiding violence emphasizes the strategic principles of a virtue that determines and guarantees the survival of this plurality of opinions, values, norms, attitudes, and interpretations. The virtue of tolerance and violence aversion speaks of a shared space where I and the other coexist. Therefore, we are faced with a new social grammar that not only changes our moral behavior but also requires us to adopt a new civic behavior. In this regard, violence aversion is the greatest moral investment of the virtue of tolerance. Pascal says: 'My place in the sun, this is an image of world possession.' Following Pascal, one could say: 'I must give my place in the sun to another and cease to possess the world.' This is the turning point of the virtue of tolerance.