What philosophical anthropology contributes to the comprehension of man: a look through time

2024 Author: Henry Conors | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-02-12 02:55

For centuries, thinkers of different philosophical schools, from Plato and Aristotle to Kant and Feuerbach, have contributed to the construction of this philosophical system. However, the anthropological principle was not accepted by Marxist-oriented philosophers, since Marx himself built his system on the criticism of Feuerbach, who was caught by him in excessive "naturalism". The personality of a person, as we remember from the history of history, is determined by the sum of his relations in society, and nothing more.

The very concept of "philosophical anthropology" was proposed by Max Scheler in his work "Man and History" in 1926. He defined it as the fundamental science of human nature, including the biological, psychological, social and metaphysical aspects of human existence.

Striving to understand yourself

What does philosophical anthropology contribute to the comprehension of man? In the 20th century, a mass of empirical knowledge accumulated, obtained by individual scientific disciplines that study man. There is a need to generalize and structure them in the light of the problemhuman existence.

This led to the emergence of philosophical anthropology, like a full-flowing river, which receives numerous tributaries into its channel and carries to the ocean everything that is collected and absorbed on its long journey.

As philosophical anthropology postulates, human nature is determined by its specific relationship with the environment in which it resides, including nature, society and the cosmos.

What moves a person?

As Scheler argued, philosophy's interest in man developed in leaps and bounds: "anthropological" eras were replaced by less humanistic ones. But whatever the position of a person in a given historical situation, his self-consciousness continued to strive for expansion.

According to Buber, the problem of man becomes especially attractive in times of social instability. Philosophical anthropology seeks to explain the reasons for the disorder and loneliness of man in the face of world cataclysms.

On the eve of World War II, Scheler defines a person as a contemplative being, comprehending the world through an open heart. Plesner emphasizes his "commitment" to continuous self-improvement, and Gehlen develops the concept of a person's desire to manifest himself through various aspects of culture.

Subject of philosophical anthropology

So, a person in the totality of all his relations with the world was defined by philosophical anthropology as a subject of study. But at the same time, she herself was still understoodambiguously. This blurring of semantic content persists in our time.

As noted by P. S. Gurevich, there are three main variations in the interpretation of the concept of "philosophical anthropology". Each understanding is based on what philosophical anthropology contributes to the comprehension of man. However, the emphasis is on different aspects: a separate area of philosophical knowledge, the actual philosophical direction and a specific method of cognition.

So what does philosophical anthropology contribute to the understanding of man?

The 21st century, with its premonitions, prophecies and ever-accelerating technical progress, is pushing the scientific community to a more in-depth study of the human phenomenon. The forums of scientists are seriously discussing the possibility of supplementing traditional scientific methods of cognition with a variety of non-scientific ways, whether it be art, religious and mystical insights, esoteric concepts or the study of the unconscious.

The idea of integrity, holisticity is what philosophical anthropology brings to the comprehension of man. Answers to difficult questions about a person's ability to change themselves and the world can be obtained if we put together all the experience accumulated by mankind about itself.

A look through time

In the times of Antiquity, knowledge was concentrated on nature and space, in the Middle Ages, a person already becomes an element of the construction of the world ordered by God. The Age of Enlightenment elevated the human mind to an absolute, allowing it to feel like a cognizing subject.

The emergence of Darwin's theory directed thinking towards an in-depth knowledge of human biology, and, finally, in the twentieth century, all these efforts were transformed into a new discipline - philosophical anthropology.

How can you answer what philosophical anthropology contributes to the comprehension of man? Its founder, M. Scheler, expressed this not without humor: "Now a person no longer knows who he is, but he is aware of it."