Difference between revisions of "Absolute (philosophy)" - New World Encyclopedia

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Various interpretation of the concept of the Absolute was given by [[German Idealism|German Idealists]] such as [[Schelling]], [[Kant]], and [[Hegel]], and by British philosophers such as [[Herbert Spencer]], [[William Hamilton]], [[Bernard Bosanquet]], [[Francis Bradley]], and [[Thomas Hill Green]], and American idealist philosopher [[Josiah Royce]]. The notion of absolute played an important role in forming each of these philosophers' theories.
 
Various interpretation of the concept of the Absolute was given by [[German Idealism|German Idealists]] such as [[Schelling]], [[Kant]], and [[Hegel]], and by British philosophers such as [[Herbert Spencer]], [[William Hamilton]], [[Bernard Bosanquet]], [[Francis Bradley]], and [[Thomas Hill Green]], and American idealist philosopher [[Josiah Royce]]. The notion of absolute played an important role in forming each of these philosophers' theories.
  
== Terminology ==
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==History of philosophy==
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=== Terminology ===
 
English word, absolute, came from [[Middle French]] "absolut," which was originated from [[Latin]] "absolutus," a past participle of "absolvo," a verb, meaning "to set free, end, and complete," and "detached, pure." <ref>[http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?search=absolute&searchmode=none|Online Etymological Dictionary]. Retrieved April 13, 2008.</ref>
 
English word, absolute, came from [[Middle French]] "absolut," which was originated from [[Latin]] "absolutus," a past participle of "absolvo," a verb, meaning "to set free, end, and complete," and "detached, pure." <ref>[http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?search=absolute&searchmode=none|Online Etymological Dictionary]. Retrieved April 13, 2008.</ref>
  
 
The term, Absolute, denotes whatever is free from any condition or restriction, and independent from any other element or factor.
 
The term, Absolute, denotes whatever is free from any condition or restriction, and independent from any other element or factor.
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[[Ancient Greek philosophy|Ancient Greek philosophers]] pursued the ultimate rational [[principle]] which could consistently and comprehensively explain diverse natural, cosmological, and human phenomena.
  
 
== Origins and specific conceptions ==
 
== Origins and specific conceptions ==

Revision as of 03:14, 13 April 2008

The term, Absolute, denotes unconditioned and/or independent in the strongest sense of the term. It can include or overlap with meanings implied by other concepts such as infinite, totality, and perfection, which also exclude conditioning, dependence, and relativity. In Christian theology, the Absolute is conceived as being synonymous with or essential attribute of God, and it characterizes other natures of God such as His love, truth, wisdom, existence (omnipresence), knowability (omniscience), power (omnipotence), infinite, and others in contrast to corresponding natures, in all beings other than God, which are conditional, dependent, relative, and limited. The Absolute similarly is synonymous with or a characteristic of the Ultimate Being in diverse religious traditions.

Various interpretation of the concept of the Absolute was given by German Idealists such as Schelling, Kant, and Hegel, and by British philosophers such as Herbert Spencer, William Hamilton, Bernard Bosanquet, Francis Bradley, and Thomas Hill Green, and American idealist philosopher Josiah Royce. The notion of absolute played an important role in forming each of these philosophers' theories.


History of philosophy

Terminology

English word, absolute, came from Middle French "absolut," which was originated from Latin "absolutus," a past participle of "absolvo," a verb, meaning "to set free, end, and complete," and "detached, pure." [1]

The term, Absolute, denotes whatever is free from any condition or restriction, and independent from any other element or factor.

Ancient Greek philosophers pursued the ultimate rational principle which could consistently and comprehensively explain diverse natural, cosmological, and human phenomena.

Origins and specific conceptions

Heraclitus concerned himself with the knowable portion of the Absolute with his Logos. Plotinus, a Neo-Platonic philosopher, saw all forms of existence as emanating from 'The One'. The concept of the Absolute was re-introduced into philosophy by Hegel, Schelling, and their followers; it is associated with various forms of philosophical idealism. The Absolute, either under that name, or as the "Ground of Being," the "Uncaused First Cause," or some similar concept, also figures in several of the attempted proofs of the existence of God, particularly the ontological argument and the cosmological argument.

The concept was adopted into neo-Hegelian British idealism (though without Hegel's complex logical and dialectical apparatus), where it received an almost mystical exposition at the hands of F.H. Bradley. Bradley (followed by others including Timothy L.S. Sprigge) conceived the Absolute as a single all-encompassing experience, rather along the lines of Shankara and Advaita Vedanta. Likewise, Josiah Royce in the United States conceived the Absolute as a unitary Knower Whose experience constitutes what we know as the "external" world.

Recently, certain philosophers have attempted to reconceive Christianity as a Gnostic religion (see Mary Magdalene). Here "The Absolute" is referred to as "The All."

The concept need not be taken to imply a universal unitary consciousness, however. American philosopher Brand Blanshard, for example, conceived the Absolute as a single overarching intelligible system but declined to characterize it in terms of consciousness or experience.

The Ultimate

The Ultimate is a general term embracing the concept of an ultimate supernatural reality which transcends material reality and from which, according to a broad spectrum of Eastern philosophies and religions, material reality derives. The Ultimate is generally non-anthropomorphic and may or may not (depending on one's specific doctrine) possess discrete will, intelligence, awareness or a personal nature.

Examples of religions and philosophies which embrace the concept of The Ultimate in one form or another include Hinduism, Jainism, Taoism and existential or metaphysical forms of Christianity. Terms which serve to identify The Ultimate among such beliefs include the Tao (the Way), Brahman (Universal Spirit), Universal Mind, Universal Intelligence, Shunyata, and numerous other appellations.

The vital essence of Man, soul, spirit, spark of awareness, is said to have originally derived in each case from The Ultimate, and to be indestructible after the nature of The Ultimate, and to be capable of returning to its source. This returning could be said to be the goal of most Eastern religion.

The general commonalities between the various versions of The Ultimate are: infinity, indescribability, formlessness, and transcendence. An additional commonality is that one must renounce and/or transcend physical existence and its distractions, in some cases even to the point of extinguishing identity and individual awareness, in order to understand or co-exist with The Ultimate. Uniformly, human passions and vices are regarded as barriers to spiritual advancement, and such virtues as humility, charity and righteousness or pacifism are felt to help pave the way to enlightenment.

Parallels may be drawn between such traditions and Judeo-Christian-Islamic monotheistic (i.e., Abrahamic) thought. The concept is of a universal subconsciousness, undivided and incapable of being depicted through gods or icons, parent to the individual souls of men, and to which men strive to return. This sought-after return is impaired by evil thought and deed, and facilitated by altruism. In addition, the traditions share a general value system that discourages worldliness and encourages seeking higher, more intangible principles, such as righteousness, justice, and good deeds done for their own sake.

Where the basic division begins to appear between Eastern and Western spiritual tradition with regard to The Ultimate, is in the separation of God from Creation, nature, and the souls of men themselves. In Eastern thought this is not done, but in Western spirituality it often is.

Criticism

Kant questioned whether the absolute can be thought.

People have always spoken of the absolutely necessary (absolutnotwendigen) being, and have taken pains, not so much to understand whether and how a thing of this kind can even be thought, but rather to prove its existence.… if by means of the word unconditioned I dismiss all the conditions that the understanding always requires in order to regard something as necessary, this does not come close to enabling me to understand whether I then still think something through a concept of an unconditionally necessary being, or perhaps think nothing at all through it.

Critique of Pure Reason, A593

Nietzsche criticized Hegel's claims about the non–relative Absolute .

Words are but symbols for the relations of things to one another and to us; nowhere do they touch upon absolute truth. … Thus it is, today, after Kant, an audacious ignorance if here and there, especially among badly informed theologians who like to play philosopher, the task of philosophy is represented as being quite certainly "comprehending the Absolute with the consciousness," somewhat completely in the form "the Absolute is already present, how could it be sought somewhere else?" as Hegel has expressed it.

Philosophy in the Tragic Age of the Greeks, § 11.

See also

Notes

  1. Etymological Dictionary. Retrieved April 13, 2008.

External links

Portal:Philosophy
Philosophy Portal

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