Life philosophy is a system of views of man. The search for answers to the main questions in life, what is its meaning, why, what and how to do, does not stop. Since ancient times, the minds of philosophers have philosophized over this. Dozens of exercises have been formed, but people still ask themselves these questions.
What is the philosophy of life?
The concept of "philosophy of life" has two meanings:
- Personal philosophy, at the center of which is the solution of existential questions about the state of a person.
- Philosophical direction, born in Germany in the second half of the XIX century as a reaction to rationalism. Main representatives:
- Wilhelm Dilthey;
- Henri Bergson;
- Pierre Ado;
- Friedrich Nietzsche;
- Georg Simmel;
- Arthur Schopenhauer.
The concept of life in philosophy
Life definition in philosophy was occupied by the minds of many thinkers. The term itself is multi-valued and can be viewed from different points of view:
- biological (as a form of existence of matter);
- psychological (as a form of existence of consciousness);
- cultural-historical (as a form of existence of mankind).
Philosophy of life - basic ideas
The philosophy of life has united in itself various directions united by common ideas. It arose as a reaction to the outdated philosophical traditions, conditioned by rationalism. The idea of the philosophy of life is that being is the first principle, and only through it one can comprehend something. All rational methods of cognition of the world - in the past. They are replaced by irrational ones. Feelings, instincts, faith are the basic tools of comprehending reality.
Irrationalism and the philosophy of life
Irrationalism is based on the uniqueness of human experience, the importance of instincts and feelings, as opposed to intelligent cognition. He, like romanticism in literature, became a reaction to rationalism. It was reflected in the historicism and relativism of Wilhelm Dilthey. For him, all knowledge was due to a personal historical perspective, so he asserted the importance of the humanities.
Johann Georg Gaman, the German philosopher, rejected the process of meditation, sought the truth in feeling and faith. Personal confidence is the ultimate criterion of truth. His companion for the literary group "Storm and the Onslaught" Friedrich Jacobi exalted the confidence and clarity of faith at the expense of intellectual knowledge.
Friedrich Schelling and Henri Bergson, concerned about the uniqueness of human experience, turned to intuitivism, which "sees things invisible to science." The mind itself was not annulled, it lost its leading role. Instinct is the engine that underlies existence. Pragmatism, existentialism, irrationalism is a life philosophy that broadens the notion of human life and thought.
The meaning of human life is philosophy
The problem of the meaning of life in philosophy has been and remains relevant. Answers to questions about the meaning of life and what makes life meaningful are sought by philosophers of different directions for centuries:
- The ancient philosophers were unanimous in the opinion that the essence of human life lies in the pursuit of good, happiness. For Socrates, happiness is equal to the perfection of the soul. For Aristotle - the embodiment of the human essence. And the essence of man is his soul. Spiritual work, thinking and cognition lead to happiness. Epicurus saw meaning (happiness) in pleasure, which he represented not as a pleasure, but as a lack of fear, physical and spiritual suffering.
- In the Middle Ages in Europe, the notion of the meaning of life was directly related to traditions, religious ideals and class values. Here there is a similarity with the philosophy of life in India, where the repetition of the life of ancestors, the preservation of class status are key.
- Philosophers of the XIX-XX centuries believed that human life is meaningless and absurd. Schopenhauer argued that all religions and philosophical currents are only attempts to find meaning and make meaningless life bearable. Existentialists, Sartre, Heidegger, Camus, equated life with absurdity, and only a person could make some sense of his own actions and choices.
- Modern positivistic and pragmatic approaches assert that life acquires that meaning, which is important for an individual in the framework of his reality. It can be anything - achievements, career, family, art, travel. What a particular person values his life and seeks for. This philosophy of life is very close to many modern people.
The philosophy of life and death
The problem of life and death in philosophy is one of the key. Death as a result of the process of life. Man as any biological organism is mortal, but unlike other animals, he realizes his mortality. This pushes him to thoughts about the meaning of life and death. All philosophical doctrines can be conditionally divided into two types:
- There is no life after death . After death, there is no being, along with the body of a man, his soul, his consciousness, perishes.
- Life after death is . A religious-idealistic approach, life on earth is a preparation for an afterlife or reincarnation.
Books on the philosophy of life for self-development
Fiction can be an excellent source for philosophical enlightenment. Not only scientific or popular science books, written by philosophers, introduce new philosophical ideas and give impetus to spiritual development . Five books in which the philosophy of human life is presented:
- "Outsider" . Albert Camus. The book is fiction, in it the author managed to reflect the basic ideas of existentialism, even better than in the philosophical treatises.
- Siddhartha . Hermann Hesse. This book will carry your thoughts from the concerns of the future to thoughts of the beauty of the present.
- "Portrait of Dorian Gray" . Oscar Wilde. A great book about the dangers associated with pride and vanity, in it the reader will find a lot of self-reflection and sensual search.
- "That's what Zarathustra said . " Friedrich Nietzsche. Nietzsche has built one of the most original and radical philosophies in his entire history. His ideas still send shock waves through the Christian community. Most people reject Nietzsche's slogan that "God is dead," but in this work Nietzsche really explains this statement and voices interesting ideas about life on Earth.
- "Transformation . " Franz Kafka. Once awakened, the hero of the story discovers that he has turned into a big insect ...
Films about the philosophy of life
Directors turn in their paintings to the theme of human life. Films about the philosophy of life, which will make you think:
- «Tree of Life» . Directed by Terrence Malick. This movie raises millions of rhetorical questions about the meaning of life, the problem of human identity.
- "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind . " The picture of Michel Gondry, released on the screens in 2004, is a kind of philosophical teaching about how to live your life, make mistakes and not forget about them.
- Fountain . A fantastic movie from Darren Aranofsky will show new interpretations of reality.