What philosophical anthropology brings to the comprehension of man: a view through time

Over the centuries, in the construction of thisphilosophical system contributed their share thinkers of different philosophical schools, from Plato and Aristotle to Kant and Feuerbach. However, the anthropological principle was not accepted by Marxist-oriented philosophers, since Marx himself built his system on the criticism of Feuerbach, who he convicted in excessive "naturalism". Personality rights, as we remember from the course of istmata, is determined by the sum of his relations in society, and nothing more.

The very concept of "philosophical anthropology" waswas proposed by Max Scheler in the work "Man and History" in 1926. He defined it as a fundamental science of human nature, including the biological, psychological, social and metaphysical aspects of human existence.

The desire to understand yourself

What philosophical anthropology brings to comprehensionthe person? In the twentieth century, a lot of empirical knowledge accumulated by separate scientific disciplines studying man. There is a need for their generalization and structuring in the light of the problem of human existence.

This led to the emergence of philosophical anthropology, like a full-flowing river, taking in its channel numerous tributaries and carrying to the ocean all that is collected and absorbed on its long journey.

As philosophical anthropology postulates, human nature is determined by its specific relations with the environment in which it resides, including nature, society and space.

What drives a person?

As Scheler argued, philosophy's interest in mandeveloped spasmodically: the "anthropological" epochs were replaced by less humanistic ones. But whatever the position of a person in a particular historical situation, his self-consciousness continued to strive for expansion.

In the opinion of Buber, especially attractive intimes of social instability become a person's problem. Philosophical anthropology seeks to explain the causes of the disorder and loneliness of a person in the face of world cataclysms.

On the eve of World War II Scheler defines a personas a being contemplative, comprehending the world through an open heart. Plesner emphasizes his "condemnation" to continuous self-improvement, and Gehlen develops the concept of man's desire to manifest himself through various aspects of culture.

Subject of philosophical anthropology

So, a person in the aggregate of all his relations withthe world was defined by philosophical anthropology as the subject of research. But at the same time, it was still understood ambiguously. This blurring of the semantic content is preserved even in our time.

As P.S. Gurevich, there are three main variations in the interpretation of the concept of "philosophical anthropology." Every understanding is based on what philosophical anthropology brings to the comprehension of man. However, the emphasis is on different aspects: a separate area of ​​philosophical knowledge, a philosophical direction proper and a specific method of cognition.

So what does philosophical anthropology do in the comprehension of man?

The 21st century with its forebodings, prophecies and allaccelerating technological progress pushes the scientific community to a more in-depth study of the phenomenon of man. Scientists' forums seriously discuss the possibility of supplementing traditional scientific methods of cognition with a variety of unscientific methods, be it art, religious and mystical insights, esoteric concepts or the study of the unconscious.

The idea of ​​integrity, holistic is thatintroduces philosophical anthropology into the comprehension of man. Answers to difficult questions about a person's ability to change himself and the world can be obtained by putting together all the experience accumulated by mankind about himself.

A look through time

In the days of Antiquity, cognition was concentratedon nature and in outer space, in the Middle Ages, man is already becoming an element of God's orderly design of the world. The Age of Enlightenment elevated the human mind to the absolute, allowing it to feel itself as a knowing subject.

The emergence of Darwin's theory sent thinking towards an in-depth knowledge of human biology, and finally, in the twentieth century, all these efforts were transformed into a new discipline - philosophical anthropology.

How can one answer what the philosophicalanthropology in the comprehension of man? Its founder M. Scheler expressed this not without humor: "Now a person no longer knows who he is, but he is informed about it."