ABSTRACT
The fact that books are written by humans, who incorporate their selves
and their work into their writings, also applies with academic books such as
this. It is a fallacy to think otherwise. Some readers who lack philosophical
education may not be familiar with the distinction between subjectivism and
subjectivity. According to Ju¨rgen Habermas ‘‘the principle of subjectivity’’ –
that is, the awareness of the human self as a thinking individual – is the
hallmark of cultural modernity.1 Being a Muslim who grew up in a pre-
modern culture2 in Damascus and then received his academic education in the thoughts of the Frankfurt School,3 I am familiar with the two divergent
worlds and with the related conflicts between both entities on all levels. An
indication of these conflicts should never be confused with the rhetoric of a
clash of civilizations. As one of the co-founders of the Arab Organization of
Human Rights and as a writer of the early Arab left, I have always believed
not only that democracy is the solution for the Arab-Muslim world, but
also that democratization and cross-cultural morality are the bridges that
could help solve the value-related conflicts between both civilizations. This is my creed that directs my scholarly work and it lies at the core of my
reasoning.
