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