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Muhamad Fahmi Bin Che Omar (0915921)

-Political Thought 1

WESTERN PARADIGM: ONTOLOGICAL PROXIMITY

The relations between ontology and epistemology based on Christian theology in the Western

intellectual were developed since the era of post-Renaissance. It is the basic characteristics of

systematization of knowledge where epistemology became its center.

Epistemologically defined ontology through human knowledge. Epistemology can be

explained through empiricism, or meterialism, or logical forms after the reemergence of ancient

philosophy. Whereas ontology was defined by Christian theology after the emerge of Renaissance. It

included the Incarnation, Fatherhood of God, the defication of Jesus within the dogma of Trinity. All

of this led to a proximity between ontological levels of God, man and nature.

Thus, ontological proximity link closely with the ancient mythology, ancient philosophy,

Christian theology and modern philosophy.

Platos philosophy beleif that God as maker and father and as an intermediary ontological

category. It involve at least three levels of relationships between God and human beings which is not

similar to Islamic perspective because, (1) first, the vagueness and fluidity block the development of

the image of God where in Islam there ninety-nine names reflects the very clear image of Allah. (2)

Second, the relationship between the Demiurge and other Gods seems blur in the Platonic dialogus.

Another important indication for the characteristics of the ontological proximity in Platos

work is the possibility of becoming like a God. That is the proximity from the level of human being

rather than the level of Gods especially in the cases of proximity between the levels of gods and

nature. This type of proximity led to a very important axiological consequences related to the

perfectibility of man.

Aristotelian theology similar with the Palto philosophy especially from the perspective of

ontological proximity and the particulization of divinity. Although his cosmological evaluations is not

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clear. The unity of things is the main issue of teleology rather than issue regarding ontology in

Aristotle philosophy. Therefore, it is hard to say that he intended to reach a concentrated monotheistic

system. It also hard to answer whether he believed there to be one God or not.

Nevertheless, we can say that his finding on cosmological as well as ontological approach give

us an important clues to rebutt the argument that Aristotle has a monotheistic philosophical framework

depending on a highly concentrated ontological transcendency.

So, when we gather Aristotles ontology with his empiric epistemology, we found that he was

one of the pioneer of the traditon of making ontology dependent on epistemology. This is the great

remarks of Aristotle philosophy to the modern philosophy which strongly based on the relativity of

ontology and the relativity of the ontological transcendancy.

This also caused the dilemma on both Christianity and the culture of Renaissance. For

example, a number of significant departures proove by Grant especially in the fields of cosmology,

astronomy and physics between the 13th centuries and 17th centuries. However, it shows the

continuity of Western philosophical and theological background.

The dogma of Trinity is one of the significant factors of the ontological proximity in Christian

theology. Although it has not mentined in the Bible, it can be seen as a continuation of Hindu

(Brahma-Shiva-Vishnu), Egyptian Hermetic (Osiris-Isis-Horus), Zoroastrian (Ahura Mazda-Spenta

Mainyush-Armaiti Intelligence and Mind), Orphic Greek (Being-Life-Intellect) and neo-Platonic

(Good-Intelligence-Word Soul) concepts of Trinity.

The Christian belief system of God in relation with the Trinity and the Fatherhood of God as a

very significant symbol of ontological proximity. It developed all other theoretical evaluations of

transformed Christianity. (1) First, Imago dei was created depending on the particularization of

divinity which avoid the formation of an image of absolute ontological transcendency and a

diffrentiation of ontological levels based on ontological hierarchy. (2) Second, the concept of Trinity

which is vague led to a complex epistemological problem. (3) Ontological and epistemological

proximities became intrinsic elements in the idea of religious subjectivism, historical relativism,

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humanization and secularization of knowledge. (4) Fourth, axiology has potentially been diffrentiated

from ontological through the equalization of epistemological spheres. All of these characteristics have

largely affected the Christian political images and theories.

Finally, epistemologically defined ontology as Descartes philosophy, intellectual

transformation within the phases of transition in line with the new scientific approach. The formation

of new paradigm; intrinsic ontological characteristics of Christianity and the impact of the ancient

philosophies were developed progressively by the development of nature-centered cosmology and

anthropocentric epistemology. Astronormers like Copernicus, Tycho Brahe, Kepler and Galileo

depart from the medieval physics depending on the assumption that man is in every sense the center of

the universe.

This does not mean they against Christian background and metaphysics for example

Copernicus protested against the view that his theory cotradicted the Bible. This shows the continuity

between phases of sequence from the ancient to modern period. Kepler inclination of sun-worship,

Brunos conclusion since the universe is infinite, and there cant be two infinites, the infinite God and

the infinite universe must be one, Spinozas Deus siva substantia siva Natura, shows ultimate

ontological proximity developed side by side within a pantheistic interpretation and natur-centered

cosmology.

This demanded a new conception of God as one who is not an external intelligence because it

is more worthy for him to be the internal principle of motion, which is his own nature, his own soul

(Cassirer, 1951:41).