scholarly journals Rola ascetyzmu w antropologii filozoficznej Henryka Elzenberga

2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (1) ◽  
pp. 91-110
Author(s):  
Antoni Płoszczyniec

The aim of this article is the reconstruction, analysis and presentation of Henryk Elzenberg’s philosophy of the human being, with particular emphasis on his concept of asceticism. Elzenberg’s philosophical anthropology is based on the pessimistic evaluation of reality, which itself is founded on the negative evaluation of human nature. Human nature is corrupt because of the primary will of humanity, which is selfish and self-seeking and which strives only for utilitarian values. The overcoming of pessimism is possible by the transformation of self-seeking will, and asceticism is a remedy which enables human beings to see and realise true, perfectionist values. Asceticism can overcome basic instincts, which pull human nature down to the animal-like state of being. In Elzenberg’s philosophical anthropology, asceticism creates culture and culture grants humanity to humans, which is a trope similar to the ancient conception of paideia.

Author(s):  
Brad Inwood

Ethics is the part of the Stoics’ legacy that is most prominent and influential today. Their theory of the good life for human beings falls into the family of theories associated with Socrates and his followers. This tradition includes Plato and most Platonists, Xenophon, the Cynics, Aristotle, and later Aristotelians, all of whom share the view that virtue, the excellence of a human being, is the highest value and is its own reward. ‘Ethics’ discusses the Stoics’ views on human nature and rationality; the four basic virtues: justice, courage, wisdom, and moderation or self-control; and the doctrine that the fully rational and wise person will be free of passions.


2020 ◽  
Vol 17 (1) ◽  
pp. 70-84
Author(s):  
Ana Honnacker

Humanism is charged with fostering a harmful anthropocentrism that has led to the exploitation of non-human beings and the environment. Posthumanist and transhumanist ideas prominently aim at rethinking our self-understanding and human-nature relations. Yet these approaches turn out to be flawed when it comes to addressing the challenges of the “age of the humanity”, the Anthropocene. Whereas posthumanism fails in acknowledging the exceptional role of human beings with regard to political agency and responsibility, transhumanism overemphasizes human capabilities of controlling nature and only deepens the human-nature dualism. Therefore, a critical and humble version of humanism is suggested as a viable alternative. Drawing on pragmatist thinkers William James and F.C.S. Schiller, a resource for de-centering the human being is provided that critically reflects our role in the larger ecosystem and underlines human potentials as well as human responsibilities.


2008 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
pp. 110-119
Author(s):  
Dennis M. Weiss ◽  

This essay examines Don Ihde’s postphenomological philosophy of technology through the lens of philosophical anthropology, that sub-discipline of philosophy concerned with the nature and place of the human being. While Ihde’s philosophical corpus and its reception in Postphenomenology: A Critical Companion to Ihde indicate rich resources for thinking about human nature, several themes receive too little attention in both, including the nature of the human being, the emergence of the posthuman, and the place of the human being in our contemporary pluriculture.


2016 ◽  
Vol 24 (1) ◽  
pp. 9-24
Author(s):  
Grant Farred

Philosophical anthropology is a tradition that is as old as philosophy itself, so much so that it might be said to be indistinguishable from philosophy itself. Philosophical anthropology, extending as it does from Socrates to Sartre, best describes the work of V.Y. Mudimbe. Anthropology, broadly conceived as the science that studies human origins, the material and cultural development of humanity (philosophical anthropology concerns itself with human nature, particularly what it is that distinguishes human beings from other creatures and how philosophy allows human beings to understand themselves), is always Mudimbe’s first line of philosophical inquiry. It is certainly Mudimbe’s interest in anthropology that allows him to conduct his investigations into Africa, its modes of thinking, and colonialism and its continuing effects on the continent. Writing on the latter issue in The Invention of Africa, Mudimbe, with his customary deftness of mind, argues that colonialism and its aftermath cannot by itself account for the continent’s extant condition: “The colonizing structure, even in its most extreme manifestations . . . might not be the only explanation for Africa’s present-day marginality. Perhaps this marginality could, more essentially, be understood from the perspective of wider hypotheses about the classification of beings and societies.”[ Making sense of Africa, in Mudimbe’s terms, must begin with a hypothesization that explicates how “beings and societies” come to be classified, the anthropological undertaking par excellence, which also requires a study of the forces that construct, implement and maintain these classifications.


Author(s):  
Guzel K. Saikina ◽  
◽  
Zulfiya Z. Ibragimova ◽  

In the philosophy of the 20th century, the idea of the absence of nature in man was established, due to which the concept of «human nature» became a rudiment in anthropological knowledge, and man himself began to be comprehended as «unsupported». In the era of the «biotechnological revolution», this concept turns out to be inconvenient for the transgressive game of man with his own limits. However, the problematization of a person in modern anthropological discourse can occur in many respects precisely through questioning the human nature. In the era of developed biotechnologies, for the purposes of human ecology, modern anthropology should not so much deny as assert the nature of man, since the concept of «human nature» indicates an ontological framework that preserves the authenticity of man, ensuring the continuity of all his historical forms. In contrast to the interpretation of the concept of human nature as opposed to the social essence (as a base physical, material, biological, vital part of human being), it is heuristically significant to elevate it to a socially significant axiological principle, filling it with value content by raising the status of the human nature. This is especially important due to the fact that this concept is substantively included in ethical, social and humanitarian expertise of biotechnological projects. Without the axiological development of this concept, bioethical and ecological discourses will lose strength and persuasiveness. A person is always incomplete, multidimensional, multifaceted, therefore there cannot be a single essential idea of a person capable of becoming the cementing foundation of anthropological knowledge, as the first generation of «philosophical anthropology» representatives hoped for. Still, man is one anthropological type with a single nature. As a result of the study, a hypothesis has been put forward that it is the reanimation of the concept of «human nature» that will give unity to anthropological knowledge and become its «ideological core».


Author(s):  
Kristin Gjesdal

It is difficult to accept that Johann Gottfried Herder (1744–1803), an influential philosopher of history, language, and culture, was a prolific preacher and clergyman. His apparent Spinoza connection, his agreement with the pre-critical Kant, and his alleged naturalism seem to contradict his unquestioning acceptance of God. But when the human being is considered as the middle point a reconstruction of Herder devoid of this dichotomy is possible. Herder’s religious anthropology understands human beings both as historical and religious beings, which gives rise to his rejection of Christianity in its actuality as the sole future religion. The church raised itself above the individual and destroyed religions, cultures, and languages, whereas Herder’s notion of human religion—for him a universal concept—allows individual nations, cultures, languages, and religions to remain particular. Central for the argument are Herder’s Christliche Schriften (1793–8), the Ideen (1801–4), and the Adrastea (1801–4).


Author(s):  
May Sim

Aristotle’s phronimos and Mencius’s sage are the paragons of virtue. They exemplify practical wisdom, enabling them to perform virtuous actions called for in different situations, and are the concrete models of virtue for all human beings, without whom others would not be able to cultivate their virtues. Aristotle and Mencius are also alike in holding that the virtues of character are based on human nature, and cultivation is key to achieving them. Despite these similarities, they differ in their accounts of human nature, details on the virtues, and how they are cultivated. Whether being the phronimos or the sage is the highest good for a human being, the degree of effectiveness he has on fellow citizens and the rest of the cosmos are issues about which they would disagree. Exploring similarities and differences between the phronimos and the sage will shed light on nature and nurture in their virtue-oriented ethics.


Author(s):  
Shao Kai Tseng

Summary This article offers an exposition of Karl Barth’s actualistic reorientation of the Augustinian notions of original sin and the bondage of the will in § 60 and § 65 of Church Dogmatics IV/1–2. Barth redefines human nature as a total determination of the human being (Sein/Dasein) “from above” by the covenantal history of reconciliation. Human nature as such remains totally intact in the historical state of sin. The human being, however, is also determined “from below” by the Adamic world-history of total corruption. With this dialectical construal of sin and human nature, Barth redefines original sin as the radically sinful activities and decisions that determine the confinement of human beings to the historical condition of fallenness. Barth also challenges the famous Augustinian account of the bondage of the will to which original sin gives rise, and uses the present active indicative to express his actualistic reorientation of the Augustinian notion of the bondage: “non potest non peccare”.


2012 ◽  
Vol 164 (2) ◽  
pp. 193-205
Author(s):  
Janusz ŚWINIARSKI ◽  
Marian MARCINKOWSKI

At the beginning the authors present two opposing trends related to the understanding of the nature and the role of war in society: first, that these phenomena are embedded in the nature of human beings and humanity (which means that without war there is no human being, culture and civilization, its life, society or state, so war is natural and necessary for life); second, war is not embedded in human nature, is a distortion in community life and relations between people; this means that if wars occur, they show the degradation of human beings and society. These trends are observed in the eternal debate on war and the authors show numerous examples in which war is perceived in this way.


2018 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
pp. 163
Author(s):  
I Gusti Ayu Oka Silantari ◽  
I Ketut Mardika

<p><em>In human nature, apart from being individual beings as well as social beings who have their own culture. Culture arises in humans due to reason and thought in the human being itself. Humans will be able to live perfectly when they live together with other humans, in relation to other humans, certain norms or rules are needed. In the regulation, one of them was written about the procedure for honoring guests called Athiti Krama. Athiti Krama gives motivation in human life because through this human being can foster good relations between humans one with other human beings in harmony. The implementation of Athiti Krama can be found in societies everywhere in the world, both in the advanced society and the people who are still modest in their civilization.<br /> In social life, everyone should behave well so as to create happiness for themselves and the community, because in the teachings of Hinduism, Athiti Krama teachings are basically contained which can bring people to achieve harmony in social order in society. The basis of Athiti Krama's teachings is the ethics or morality that many of the Vedic scriptures have mentioned, one of which is Tri Kaya Parisudha. Considering the importance of Athiti Krama as a social guide in people's lives. So it should be known to be applied in the learning process in Pasraman Dharma Bhakti.</em><strong><em></em></strong></p>


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