History of Modern History of Modern Western PhilosophyWestern Philosophy

From Descartes to NietzscheFrom Descartes to Nietzsche

Lecturer: Randolf P. BioLecturer: Randolf P. Bio

IntroductionIntroduction

Conceptual ClarificationsConceptual Clarifications Lecture ProgramLecture Program Lecture Method and EvaluationLecture Method and Evaluation

Periods of Western Periods of Western PhilosophyPhilosophy

Ancient Philosophy [Greek, Ancient Philosophy [Greek, Hellenistic and Roman Hellenistic and Roman Philosophy]Philosophy]

Medieval Philosophy [Patristic Medieval Philosophy [Patristic and Scholastic Philosophy]and Scholastic Philosophy]

Modern Philosophy Modern Philosophy Contemporary Philosophy [20Contemporary Philosophy [20thth

Century – Postmodernism]Century – Postmodernism]

Anthropocentrism

Theocentrism

Anthropocentrism

The Mainstreams of Modern The Mainstreams of Modern PhilosophyPhilosophy Rationalism (Descartes, Spinoza, Rationalism (Descartes, Spinoza,

Leibniz, Malebranche, Pascal)Leibniz, Malebranche, Pascal) Empiricism (Hobbes, Locke, Empiricism (Hobbes, Locke,

Berkeley, Hume)Berkeley, Hume) Criticism (Kant)Criticism (Kant) Idealism (Fichte, Schelling, Hegel, Idealism (Fichte, Schelling, Hegel,

Schoppenhauer)Schoppenhauer) Materialism (Feuerbach, Marx)Materialism (Feuerbach, Marx) Positivism (Comte, Mach)Positivism (Comte, Mach) Existentialism (Kierkegaard and Existentialism (Kierkegaard and

Nietzsche)Nietzsche)

The Meaning of ModernityThe Meaning of Modernity

““Moderna” means “new” and “now”. Moderna” means “new” and “now”. Modern is a temporal orientation to ‘here Modern is a temporal orientation to ‘here and now’ [not ‘there and past” of the and now’ [not ‘there and past” of the medieval mentality]medieval mentality]

The term relates to the concept of time: The term relates to the concept of time: linear progress [contrary to cyclical linear progress [contrary to cyclical concept of time]concept of time]

Key concepts of the modernity: Key concepts of the modernity: “technological progress”, “revolution”, “technological progress”, “revolution”, “economic growth” “economic growth”

Three Characteristics of Three Characteristics of modern Philosophymodern Philosophy 1. Centers on the problem of 1. Centers on the problem of

consciousness or subjectivity consciousness or subjectivity [contrary to theocentrism][contrary to theocentrism]

2. Radicalization of the 2. Radicalization of the epistemological concept of critique epistemological concept of critique [contrary to dogmatism][contrary to dogmatism]

3. Teleological Concept of historical 3. Teleological Concept of historical progress of mankind [contrary to progress of mankind [contrary to status quo]status quo]

ModernPhilosophy

Subject as Center of Thought

Critique asEpistemologicalFoundation

Progress asConcept of time

-Descartes

-I. KantG.W.F. Hegel

Modern Philosophy is a Modern Philosophy is a philosophy of the subjectphilosophy of the subject As a whole we can view the modern As a whole we can view the modern

western philosophy as a research western philosophy as a research program on the epistemological and program on the epistemological and metaphysical problems of consciousness metaphysical problems of consciousness as such [the subject or subjectum]. So as such [the subject or subjectum]. So Habermas mentions it The philosophy of Habermas mentions it The philosophy of Subject [die Subjektphilosophie]Subject [die Subjektphilosophie]

1. The origin of consciousness (e.g. 1. The origin of consciousness (e.g. Descartes and Locke)Descartes and Locke)

2. The Development of consciousness 2. The Development of consciousness (e.g. Hegel, Kierkegaard, Comte)(e.g. Hegel, Kierkegaard, Comte)

3. The Collapse of consciousness (e.g. 3. The Collapse of consciousness (e.g. Schopenhauer, Nietzsche) Schopenhauer, Nietzsche)

Critique as a central concept Critique as a central concept

Critique is a mean of the processes of Critique is a mean of the processes of emancipation; it functions as:emancipation; it functions as:

1. Self-reflection of knowledge (critique of 1. Self-reflection of knowledge (critique of knowledge or epistemology) knowledge or epistemology)

2. Barrier breaker of ideological 2. Barrier breaker of ideological manipulations (critique of ideology or manipulations (critique of ideology or enlightenment)enlightenment)

3. Struggle against political injustice 3. Struggle against political injustice (critique of regime or revolution)(critique of regime or revolution)

Note: Critique isn’t a mere refusal against Note: Critique isn’t a mere refusal against something, but a reasonable negation with something, but a reasonable negation with a complex epistemological conditions. It a complex epistemological conditions. It originates during the rise of modern natural originates during the rise of modern natural sciences those are very skeptical against sciences those are very skeptical against the medieval metaphysical thought. the medieval metaphysical thought. Critique is an advocate of the factual. Critique is an advocate of the factual.

History has a teleological History has a teleological structurestructure

History isn’t arbitrary, but has an end History isn’t arbitrary, but has an end that can be anticipated. The German that can be anticipated. The German idealists tried to discover the rational idealists tried to discover the rational scheme behind the empirical scheme behind the empirical historical events. They believed that historical events. They believed that the ‘the ‘telos’telos’ of history was freedom of of history was freedom of man and his society. The civilization man and his society. The civilization process was a way to the human process was a way to the human freedom.freedom.

ExamplesExamples

Marx believed that the human being (esp. Marx believed that the human being (esp. the proletariat) was the actor of history that the proletariat) was the actor of history that drives it to its end through the social drives it to its end through the social transformation (revolutions). To him the transformation (revolutions). To him the end of history was the classless societyend of history was the classless society

Comte proclaimed that its end was the Comte proclaimed that its end was the positivist society, the scientific civilization of positivist society, the scientific civilization of mankindmankind

Hegel delineated the end of history as the Hegel delineated the end of history as the final reconciliation of the idea with its self, final reconciliation of the idea with its self, i.e. the history that knows its self. i.e. the history that knows its self.

Note: Teleological thought is the source of Note: Teleological thought is the source of the utopianism in the modern social the utopianism in the modern social theoriestheories

Renaissance and PhilosophyRenaissance and Philosophy

The HumanistsThe Humanists

The spirit of modern philosophy was built in The spirit of modern philosophy was built in the age of Renaissance. The rebirth of the the age of Renaissance. The rebirth of the Greek and Roman civilization in Italy during Greek and Roman civilization in Italy during 1616thth Century reflected in many cultural Century reflected in many cultural aspects such as literature, architecture, aspects such as literature, architecture, philosophy, art etc. The main agents of philosophy, art etc. The main agents of renaissance’s movement were the renaissance’s movement were the humanist such as Dante, Petrarkha, humanist such as Dante, Petrarkha, Rabelais, Thomas Morus, etc. Rabelais, Thomas Morus, etc.

The humanists taught eloquence, history, The humanists taught eloquence, history, poetry, moral (comparable to the sophists poetry, moral (comparable to the sophists in ancient Greece) in ancient Greece)

Man as Natural Being Man as Natural Being

Renaissance culture viewed Renaissance culture viewed man as natural being. He man as natural being. He doesn’t come from heaven, but doesn’t come from heaven, but grows from earth and is grows from earth and is provided with natural talents and provided with natural talents and vitality. So, the naked figures in vitality. So, the naked figures in the renaissance’s gallery the renaissance’s gallery glorified the natural beauty of glorified the natural beauty of man. man.

Man as IndividualMan as Individual

The individual (not the The individual (not the collective) was a central theme collective) was a central theme of art and literature in the culture of art and literature in the culture of renaissance. In the western of renaissance. In the western philosophy the paradigm-shift philosophy the paradigm-shift occurred during the occurred during the renaissance, i.e. from renaissance, i.e. from theocentrism of medieval theocentrism of medieval thought to anthropocentrism of thought to anthropocentrism of modern thought.modern thought.

Machiavelli and the “Virtu”Machiavelli and the “Virtu” Machiavelli’s theory of power was an Machiavelli’s theory of power was an

example of this paradigm shift: example of this paradigm shift: According to him the political power According to him the political power is not God’s grace that is received is not God’s grace that is received through fortune (Italian: fortuna), but through fortune (Italian: fortuna), but something that can be seized something that can be seized through human effort and virtuosity through human effort and virtuosity (Italian: virtu). Man (in this case the (Italian: virtu). Man (in this case the prince) – not God - is a center of prince) – not God - is a center of power, and from his hand the power power, and from his hand the power grows, and by his hand it is grows, and by his hand it is stabilized, e.i. through rational stabilized, e.i. through rational strategies. strategies.

Protestant ReformationProtestant Reformation

Renaissance understood the Renaissance understood the human subjectivity as rational human subjectivity as rational capacity. But the reformation capacity. But the reformation stressed it as subjective faith. stressed it as subjective faith. Both of them are the same in Both of them are the same in their revolt against medieval their revolt against medieval mentality that centered on mentality that centered on ‘objective reason’ or ‘objective ‘objective reason’ or ‘objective faith’. faith’.

Give Reaction (Assignment)Give Reaction (Assignment)Choose one of the following themes:Choose one of the following themes:1. Cartesian Doctrine of Ideas1. Cartesian Doctrine of Ideas2. Locke’s Critique of Cartesian 2. Locke’s Critique of Cartesian Doctrine of IdeaDoctrine of Idea3. Kant’s Critique of Metaphysics3. Kant’s Critique of Metaphysics4. Existential Dialectics according to 4. Existential Dialectics according to KierkegaardKierkegaard5. Nietzsche’s Critique of Morality5. Nietzsche’s Critique of Morality6. Hegel’s Concept of “Dialectics” 6. Hegel’s Concept of “Dialectics”