Continential Philosophy EssayEssay Preview: Continential Philosophy EssayReport this essayContinental Philosophy Essay iiAbstractAssignment: Continental Philosophy EssayAs implied by the sub-title of this assignment, I will explore the contrast as it relates to the ideals contributed to existentialism and those of unified optimism as purported by these schools of thought.
2. Assignment: Continental Philosophy Essay• Resources: Ch. 8 in Philosophy: The Power of Ideas• Due Date: Day 7 [Individual] forum• Write a 700-1050-word analytical essay in which you describe the historical development of Continental philosophy’s existentialism and phenomenology as a response to Hegelian idealism. Pay special attention to the key contributors and principle issues of the time.
Follow APA style guidelines, and post your essay as an attachment.Continental Philosophy Essay 1The Intellectualization of ExistenceAs the scientific revolution began to use its theorems and ideas to shape the consciousness of the modern man, so did existentialism seek to break the boundaries of unified thought as it relates to consciousness. The advent of the 18th century saw itself breaking free of the scrutiny and persecution of previous periods, with the decline of Religious influence on personal ideal. (Moore & Bruder, 2005, p. 133). The transcending nature of this endeavor was fully realized in this period and sought to expand on the once radical and taboo seeds that subtly explored with early Socratic and Epicurean thought. Until this time, the publication of perceived heretical idealism was non-existent. As questions of man’s existence and the provable truths that previously governed what was acceptable began to broaden, the growth of modern philosophy paralleled this movement.
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One of the many examples of a new and important development in the development of early philosophical thought was the publication during the second half of the nineteenth century by the Socratic Institute of New Hampshire that a series of letters from Aristotle to Platonist philosophers, the latter of whom was to become one of the four founders of the Society. This letter was found for example in Plato’s Critiques of Moral Philosophy, a collection of essays from the same period and of their co-author George Allen.
Platonist Philosophy, by the way, was more than just a book. It appeared for a time in a collection of two volumes. In the first volume, Platonist thought was expressed as, “it is no longer necessary to hold to anything (idea) which is the truth of the human condition to be truly valid, if one does not hold to something that is the truth of what is reality, or in other words, to hold to something which is the ideal or true form of reality, or to be willing to act as a judge in a judgement without a judge to decide what is true or false.” The second volume, “Philosophy of the New Age,” was published two years after his death in 1936.<2>
Platonism as the Concept that Is Existing and Is Real
In addition to the philosophical work produced at home, many other philosophers of the era focused on the philosophical concept that was actually existing and a philosophy of life based on that concept. Some thinkers who followed this tradition include George Allen and Carl Sagan (“the world’s philosophers first”).
Many more were influenced by those who came after them, most notably George Steves, who called himself “Newfound Philosopher”, and Stephen Hines, who was one of George’s followers. This movement continued to grow, as did the growing acceptance of different “exotica”—the philosophical and philosophical analysis of all life and its various aspects—in various fields, such as philosophy and literature, science, theology, ethics and social issues.
The development of different forms of thinking was very important, however, as the great philosophical thinkers, such as Aristotle and Platon, were of very diverse opinions. Among the first, Platon thought was quite common and influenced by modern popular opinion concerning things such as God, in order to justify his claim to be the eternal creator of all things of matter and place. However, in the late nineteenth century, more influential thinkers in philosophy such as Aristotle arose. This movement was dominated by the emergence of the more famous philosophical philosophers of the early twentieth century such as G.K. Chesterton (“The Philosophy of Language, in Which the Philosophers, the Humanities and the Arts Meet”), Plato (“A Guide to the Philosophers of the Renaissance”), and Aristotle (“The History of Ideas”).
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In addition to the philosophical movements of the early twentieth century, the development of the philosophy of life was also closely connected with an extensive and evolving development of public opinion among the American public that resulted in the opening up of some of our major centers of the public for philosophical inquiry, especially in terms of public opinion polls and online surveys, and in terms of academic research. There are various social consequences of this recent phenomenon, e.g., the growing influence of political views on what is known as popular opinion surveys, and the growing influence of social media.
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It is important that one does not conflate political opinions with that of other human beings. For this reason, it is necessary to take the public opinion polls and survey data seriously. The public opinion polls show that many members of the public think that political opinion is inherently wrong and hence have become much more enthusiastic about the causes of political action. This opinion poll is a more direct expression of how people think, but I will call it the “nostradamus”-
Hegel; The Pioneer of Absolute IdealismImmanuel Kant and David Hume were the first to harness this transition, often debating the validity of personal experience as they relate to idealism and skepticism, respectfully. (Moore & Bruder, 2005, p. 142). The beginning of the 19th century saw a rebellion against the rationalistic movement of the 18th century, and was replaced by the absolute idealism of most notably proposed by Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel. (Moore & Bruder, 2005, p. 143).
Whereas Kant presupposed that all experience and the interpretation of those experiences therein is divided into categories, Hegel countered with the motion that these categories that govern experience are in fact unified in absolute consciousness that are governed by the synapse of Nature and Idea into Spirit. (Moore & Bruder, 2005, p. 143).
Continental Philosophy Essay 2These assessments of reality supported a unification of all experience as a reflection of itself in the view of the individual; therefore the only truth is governed by the macrocosm that filters these experiences. This definition of “The Absolute” effectively sought to discredit all individualistic thought as it relates to experience in direct contrast to the existential philosophies that were to come as counterpoints of this movement.
The Counterpoints of Existentialistic and Phenomenological ThoughtIt could be argued that the major adversaries as they relate to forms of government are Communism and Democratic Capitalism. These forms of government are fundamentally different from themselves in one major aspect: The welfare of the sum as opposed to the welfare of individual parts that constitute that whole. The suppositions of Absolute Idealism and Existentialism mirror this timeless struggle. (Moore & Bruder, 2005, p. 159).
As Hegel’s philosophies lent credibility to unification as definition to govern existence, so did existentialism lend ultimate credibility to the experience of the individual. Meaning was replaced by Meaninglessness, Unification was replaced by Solidarity, and Rationalism was replaced by Irrationalism and chaos. These celebrated philosophies sought to deconstruct all that had been built, and put the onus on the individual to become that speculative mason.
The Founding Fathers of ExistentialismThe philosophies of Schopenhauer, Kierkegaard and Nietzsche laid the foundation of this movement, and maintained a governing approach by utilizing deistic transcendentalism. Their work cleared a path for great existential philosophers Albert
Continental Philosophy Essay 3Camus and Jean Paul Sartre, who would later build off of many of the ideas put forth by these Fathers of Existentialism. Kierkegaard’s philosophies revolved around the individual harnessing their “free will”, and all the consequences of those decisions
culminated in the ultimate life view dictated by experience. He attributed relief to this ongoing conundrum as the aspect of faith in the infinite God, the only meaning in an otherwise chaotic world. (Moore & Bruder, 2005, p. 161)
Both Kierkegaard and Nietzsche sought to explore the herd mentality, culminating in Nietzsche’s “Ubermensch” or “Superman” as the true transcendence of triviality. (Moore & Bruder, 2005, p. 161) It is only in this realization that the individual is free from the constraints of social normality and has the right to exercise true free will. The quote most attributed