Introduction to PhilosophyIntroduction to Philosophy

IS-VNUIS-VNUMr. Mike Mr. Mike

Lecture 10Lecture 10

Introduction to Philosophy

SocialismSocialism

EvolutionEvolution

Social Darwinism Social Darwinism

SocialismKarl Marx Marx’s philosophy owes a

great deal to Hegel Fundamental condition of

humanity is the need to convert the raw material of the natural world into the goods necessary for survival

Production (economics) is the primary conditioning factor of life

Marx's Dialectical MaterialismThesisFeudalism

AntithesisIndustrialism & Creation of Middle Class

Synthesis(New Thesis)IndustrialistCapitalism

AntithesisProletariatWorking-Class

SynthesisSocialism

Karl Marx Socialism is the necessary

outcome of Capitalism and the Proletariat

Socialism is not necessary for ethical reasons

Socialism is necessary because Marx believes it to be the most efficient means of production and therefore survival

EvolutionCharles Darwin English Naturalist Natural explanation of

the origins and decent of biological species

5-year Voyage on HMS Beagle studying/collecting species specimens

EvolutionCharles Darwin Biology based on the philosophies

of Schelling and Hegel & Ideal of the Enlightenment

Enlightenment Progress Schelling –

– Nature is in a perpetual state of progress

– Humans are the highest form of natural progress

Hegel – Dialectic (Thesis ↔ Antithesis) → Synthesis

EvolutionDarwin's Theory All species of life have

descended over time from common ancestry

Transmutation of species – The Process by which one species changes into another species

Evolution

Darwin's Theory

Natural Selection Survival of the Fittest:

Organisms with traits which are better adapted for immediate, local environment survive to pass the trait on.

Darwin's Adaptation of Hegel's Dialectic in Biology (Natural Selection)

Thesis - SpeciesAntithesis – Natural Environment Opposing Force

Synthesis – New Species better adapted to the natural environment

Evolution

Darwin's Theory

Sexual Selection Female choice of

suitable males which impacts what traits get passed on to offspring from the male.

EvolutionDarwin's Theory

God Believed in God as the

ultimate natural law giver. “I have never been an

atheist in the sense of denying the existence of a God. – I think that generally ... an agnostic would be the most correct description of my state of mind.”

Evolution

Implications of Darwinism

Wider Gap between Religion and Science Origins of man and other

species now had a theory that did not need religion

Rise in Scientific Atheism

EvolutionThe Enlightenment & Darwinism Enlightenment concept of “progress” Speculated that societies progressed

through stages of increasing development – Western logic and science as seen as evidence of more developed cultures

Societies begin as primitive then progress toward industrialized Europe

Darwin's theory was seen as “scientific evidence” of progress

Social Darwinism

Implications of Darwinism Herbert Spencer drew parallels

between his own economic theories and Darwin's biological ones

Developed a model that applied the law of the survival of the fittest to society

Humanitarian impulses had to be resisted as nothing should be allowed to interfere with nature's laws.

Social DarwinismSocial Darwinism & Eugenics Advocates practices to

improve the human gene pool. Used in Western countries to

support racist immigration laws and laws against inter-racial marriage.

In severe cases used to advocate genocide.

Advocated the killing of old people because they are no longer productive

Social Darwinism

Social Darwinism & Industry Laissez-faire – French: means “let

do,” but it broadly implies “let it be,” or “leave it alone.”

Argued against regulations of any industries

Social Darwinists supported Laissez-faire politics as a form of economic “natural selection”

Social Darwinism

Social Darwinism & Racism Ethnic races were

categorized into higher and lower

Led to ideas of racial supremacy

Used as a justification for slavery

Social Darwinism

Imperialism• An unequal economic, cultural,

and territorial relationship, usually between states and often in the form of an empire, based on domination and subordination

• Social Darwinists supported imperialism as an example of cultural evolution

Social Darwinism Fascism

Purge forces, ideas, and systems deemed to be the cause of decadence and degeneration

Promote violence and war as actions that create national regeneration

Conflict as a fact of life that is responsible for all human progress.

Social Darwinism

NazismNazism

• A form of fascism that A form of fascism that incorporated biological incorporated biological racism and antisemitism racism and antisemitism (against Jews)(against Jews)

• Believed in the supremacy Believed in the supremacy of an Aryan Master Race of an Aryan Master Race (Germans)(Germans)

PsychologySigmund Freud Sigmund Freud (1856–1939)(1856–1939)

Father of PsychoanalysisFather of Psychoanalysis• Believed that certain early Believed that certain early

childhood experiences, are childhood experiences, are ‘repressed’ into the ‘repressed’ into the UnconsciousUnconscious

• Repression often occurs when Repression often occurs when a child experiences disapproval a child experiences disapproval

• Repression is connected to the Repression is connected to the child’s sexual identity in relation child’s sexual identity in relation to one or both of its parentsto one or both of its parents

PsychologySigmund Freud Sigmund Freud (1856–1939)(1856–1939) • ConsciousConscious: Awareness, thoughts, perceptions: Awareness, thoughts, perceptions

• Pre-consciousPre-conscious: Memories, Stored Knowledge: Memories, Stored Knowledge

• UnconsciousUnconscious: Fears, Motives, Desires, Needs, : Fears, Motives, Desires, Needs, Wishes, Shameful experiences Wishes, Shameful experiences

PsychologySigmund Freud Sigmund Freud (1856–1939)(1856–1939) • EgoEgo: Realistic, organized aspect of personality. : Realistic, organized aspect of personality.

Seeks to satisfy unconscious drives (motives) in Seeks to satisfy unconscious drives (motives) in realistic ways. realistic ways.

• IdId: Unconscious, unorganized aspect of personality. : Unconscious, unorganized aspect of personality. Operates from the “pleasure principle” which Operates from the “pleasure principle” which attempts to maximize pleasure and minimize pain. attempts to maximize pleasure and minimize pain. Comprised of instinctive drives and impulses. Comprised of instinctive drives and impulses.

• Super-EgoSuper-Ego: The moral conscience. Produces the : The moral conscience. Produces the feeling of guilt what a moral conviction has been feeling of guilt what a moral conviction has been acted against. A system of internalized social and acted against. A system of internalized social and cultural regulations for behavior. cultural regulations for behavior.

Psychology

PsychologyCarl Jung Carl Jung (1875–1961)(1875–1961) • EgoEgo: The conscious mind the : The conscious mind the

individual which makes decisions, individual which makes decisions, learns, and obtains wisdom.learns, and obtains wisdom.

• Personal UnconsciousPersonal Unconscious: Anything : Anything that can be brought to the conscious that can be brought to the conscious mind with easemind with ease

• Collective UnconsciousCollective Unconscious: This part : This part of the psyche is never consciously of the psyche is never consciously called upon, but directs a person’s called upon, but directs a person’s emotional reactions. It is a collection emotional reactions. It is a collection of the religious, spiritual and of the religious, spiritual and mythological symbols which are mythological symbols which are passed down through the generations passed down through the generations and therefore pre-date the individual. and therefore pre-date the individual.

PsychologyPsychologyCarl Jung Carl Jung (1875–1961)(1875–1961)

ArchetypesArchetypes: :

• Inherited aspect of the collective Inherited aspect of the collective unconsciousunconscious

• Represent collective models which Represent collective models which represent deep psychological needsrepresent deep psychological needs

• Example - “Mother” archetype is the Example - “Mother” archetype is the person(s) we look to for nurturing, person(s) we look to for nurturing, comfort in times of stress. comfort in times of stress.

• It an archetype is not fulfilled then a It an archetype is not fulfilled then a person will seek one out in different person will seek one out in different ways. ways.

PsychologyB. F. Skinner B. F. Skinner (1904-1990)(1904-1990)

Radical BehaviorismRadical Behaviorism

• Studying Animal Behavior is Studying Animal Behavior is useful to understanding Human useful to understanding Human BehaviorBehavior

• Rejects Locke's idea that Rejects Locke's idea that Humans are born as a blank Humans are born as a blank slateslate

• All organismic action is All organismic action is determined and not freedetermined and not free

PsychologyPsychologyViktor Frankl Viktor Frankl

(1905-1997)(1905-1997) • Austrian Neurologist Austrian Neurologist

and Psychiatristand Psychiatrist

• Holocaust SurvivorHolocaust Survivor

• Founder of Founder of LogotherapyLogotherapy

• Wrote Wrote Man's Search Man's Search for Meaningfor Meaning

PsychologyPsychologyViktor Frankl Viktor Frankl

LogotherapyLogotherapy• Based on the Greek Based on the Greek

philosophy term “Logos” philosophy term “Logos” (meaning) (meaning)

• Existentialist Analysis of Existentialist Analysis of life that focuses on a life that focuses on a will to meaning will to meaning

• Finding Meaning Finding Meaning (Purpose) to one's life is (Purpose) to one's life is the primary, most the primary, most powerful driving force in powerful driving force in HumansHumans

PsychologyPsychologyViktor Frankl Viktor Frankl

LogotherapyLogotherapy• Primary motivation of Primary motivation of

every individual is to find every individual is to find meaning in lifemeaning in life

• Life has meaning (Logos) Life has meaning (Logos) even under the most even under the most miserable circumstancesmiserable circumstances

• Motivation for living is to Motivation for living is to find meaning in lifefind meaning in life

• We are free to find We are free to find meaning in our meaning in our circumstancescircumstances