Core Philosophical Ideas: Marxism, Nihilism, Platonism, Rationalism
Marxism and Communism
Marx envisioned a new social order called communism. This new social order aims to move beyond capitalism, allowing its contradictions to emerge and generate its negation. Communism represents a stateless society, without classes and without private property, where humanity will ultimately be free from these contradictions. A challenge noted in practice is that the transition envisioned, the dictatorship of the proletariat resulting from the cessation of class struggle, has faced difficulties in societies attempting this path.
Marxism is a philosophy developed in close relation to the sciences, especially social science. It is not a speculative philosophy but rather a materialist one. Its founder, Karl Marx, was concerned with the study of the historical development of human societies, giving rise to historical materialism, which involves studying various “modes of production.” This study deepens the definition of humanity through the concept of work, focusing on the idea of “alienation” as a characteristic defining the human condition within certain systems.
Nihilism Explained
Nihilism is a term generally used to disqualify any doctrine that denies realities or values deemed important. For Nietzsche, this term signifies his diagnosis of Western culture, where truth, good, and virtue are considered false values arising from a singular instinct. If these foundational values of Western society collapse, nihilism emerges. What does nihilism entail? It means that values previously held as supreme become invalid, and humanity enters a state of decay and general exhaustion. Nietzsche’s entire thought on nihilism was later taken up by Heidegger when addressing the deconstruction of Western metaphysics.
Understanding Platonism
Platonism interprets the teachings of Plato. We can distinguish between different phases and forms:
- Academic Platonism: The teachings and doctrines of the early Academy members (Speusippus, Xenocrates, etc.), showing later Pythagorean trends and interest in individual morality problems from Platonic dialogues. In a later period (under Arcesilaus), a trend towards skepticism dominated.
- Later Platonism & Neoplatonism: Other forms of Platonism, not strictly attached to the Academy, run through Western philosophy.
- Neoplatonism: A renewal of Plato’s philosophy led by Plotinus (3rd century AD), reflecting the religious and mystical ideas of that era. The pinnacle of this system is The One, from which the manifold is generated: the Intelligible World, the World Soul, and the Material World. Neoplatonism remained influential in the Christian world through St. Augustine, who synthesized Christianity and Platonism.
Rationalism Defined
Rationalism is a philosophical movement that developed in continental Europe during the 17th century. It posits that Reason is the primary source of human knowledge. Principal representatives include Descartes, Leibniz, and Spinoza. Key features include:
- Reason is the sole power capable of leading humanity to the knowledge of truth.
- Reason possesses innate ideas, and from these, all other knowledge can be derived.
- The origin of ideas lies not in experience but in understanding.
- The primary method employed is deductive reasoning.
Its most significant later development occurred in 19th-century German Idealism, particularly in the work of Hegel.