Hegel, Nietzsche, and Contemporary Philosophy: An Overview
Hegel’s Philosophy
Hegelian System
Hegel’s system is the ultimate expression of Spirit in the history of thought. It’s complex and aims to cover all reality. His philosophy is based on idealism and panlogism, starting from the Absolute, which is the identity in difference.
Hegelian Dialectic
The Hegelian Dialectic is a method where every concept (thesis) generates its opposite (antithesis), leading to a synthesis. This dialectic process drives reality, constantly moving and evolving.
Key Aspects of Hegel’s System
- Logic: Overlaps with metaphysics, encompassing being, essence, and concept.
- Philosophy of Nature: The idea’s external manifestation in mechanical, physical, and organic forms.
- Philosophy of Spirit: Encompasses subjective spirit (individual consciousness), objective spirit (law, morality, ethics), and absolute spirit (art, religion, philosophy).
Philosophy of History
Hegel believed that reason governs the world and history is the progress of freedom’s consciousness. He identified three major periods: Oriental (despotism), Greco-Roman (limited freedom), and Christian (human freedom).
Nietzsche’s Philosophy
Vitalism and Axiological Revolution
Nietzsche emphasized the will to live as the primary value. He proposed three ideal life models:
- The aesthetic ideal: Dionysian and Apollonian aspects of life and beauty.
- The scientific ideal: Represented by the wise, free from prejudice.
- The Superman: Total self-mastery, creator of values beyond good and evil.
Nietzsche criticized Judeo-Christian slave morality, advocating for a morality of self-affirmation and the will to power.
Contemporary Philosophy
Traits and Attitudes
- Antipositivist: Rejects science as the sole source of philosophical knowledge.
- Realism: Accepts that humans can directly grasp reality.
- Pluralism: Rejects idealistic monism.
- Present-focused: Emphasizes evolution, history, and change over static forms.
- Personalism: Highlights the importance and dignity of the human person.
Reason and Action
Contemporary philosophy re-evaluates the role of reason. From Aristotle’s rational animal to Kant’s emphasis on reason, Hegel’s panlogism, and Marx’s focus on labor, the understanding of rationality has evolved. Bergson distinguishes intelligence, suited for the static, from intuition, necessary to grasp life’s dynamic nature.
Historicism and Vitalism
Historicism and vitalism offer a new image of humanity, emphasizing:
- Irrationality and non-intellectual knowledge.
- The importance of human life.
- The dynamic aspect of reality and the future.
- Individual and collective human life (historicism).
The Basic Fact of Life
- Life History: Part of the spirit objectified in cultural works and historical consciousness.
- Individual Life: For Ortega, the basic reality is individual life, not being, matter, spirit, or knowledge.