1. MODERN PHILOSOPHY
REVISED: January, 2014
Jan.11, 2013
Ms. Raizza Corpuz

2. OBJECTIVES:
• To enhance critical analysis of how
Modern period plays a vital stance in the
transition of Man
• To develop one’s own understanding in
the realm of the world towards achieving
the end( means) of Man

3. History of Modern
Western Philosophy

4. Renaissance and Humanism
• Epochal turning point: HUMANISM
the man realized he had a dignity, he found
he had a thought and a ratiocination
(methodological and logical reasoning)
• 16th century: led
MAN to the intellectual
affirmation and emancipation(liberate)
• man "born again" who appeared on the
Earth, just the man of the Renaissance

5. • RENAISSANCE
the man really renewed himself, he saw
himself, he felt himself “reborn” in all his
potentialities
because the renaissance was a general
historical moment, which determined a
new vision of the all human life, in its
cultural, religious, artistic, political
aspects.

6. Scientific Revolution,
Existentialist Philosophy and
Enlightenment
• the word "revolution" to describe an
event or set of events which mark a total
and durable change and a decisive break
with the past.
• term refers to historian events which are
the cause of radical political and social
changes

7. • the term "scientific revolution" a series
of discoveries, but also a different attitude
towards the studies and the researches.
• 17th century the work of many scholars
including the Italian Galileo Galilee and
the English Isaac Newton.

8. • Enlightenment
1.illuminating capacity of reason
2.Intended to bring light of reason in every
field of human activity
3.Less radical, balance towards empiricism
and subjective idealism

9. Periods of Western
Philosophy
• Ancient Philosophy [Greek, Hellenistic and
Roman Philosophy]
• Medieval Philosophy [Patristic and
Scholastic Philosophy]
• Modern Philosophy
• Contemporary Philosophy [20th Century –
Postmodernism]

10. The Mainstreams of
Modern Philosophy
• Rationalism (Descartes, Spinoza, Leibniz,
Malebranche, Pascal)
• Empiricism (Hobbes, Locke, Berkeley,
Hume)
• Criticism (Kant)
• Idealism (Fichte, Schelling, Hegel,
Schopenhauer)

11. • Materialism (Feuerbach, Marx)
• Positivism (Comte, Machiavelli)
• Existentialism (Kierkegaard and
Nietzsche)

12. The Meaning of Modernity
• Moderna” means “new” and “now”.
Modern is a temporal orientation to ‘here
and now’ [not ‘there and past” of the
medieval mentality]
• The term relates to the concept of time:
linear progress [contrary to cyclical
concept of time]
• Key concepts of the modernity:
“technological progress”, “revolution”,
“economic growth”

13. Modern Philosophy is a
philosophy of the subject
• As a whole we can view the modern
western philosophy as a research
program on the epistemological and
metaphysical problems of
consciousness.

14. • The origin of consciousness (e.g.
Descartes and Locke)
• The Development of consciousness
(e.g. Hegel, Kierkegaard, Comte)
• The Collapse of consciousness (e.g.
Schopenhauer, Nietzsche)

15. The Humanists
• The spirit of modern philosophy was built
in the age of Renaissance.
• The rebirth of the Greek and Roman
civilization in Italy during 16th Century
reflected in many cultural aspects such as
literature, architecture, philosophy, art etc.
• The humanists taught eloquence, history,
poetry, moral (comparable to the sophists
in ancient Greece)

16. Three Characteristics of
Modern Philosophy
1.Centers on the problem of consciousness
or subjectivity [contrary to theocentrism]
2. Radicalization of the epistemological
concept of critique [contrary to dogmatism]
3. Teleological Concept of historical
progress of mankind [contrary to status
quo]

17. Man as Natural Being
• Renaissance culture viewed man as
natural being.
• He doesn’t come from heaven, but grows
from earth and is provided with natural
talents and vitality.
• So, the naked figures in the renaissance’s
gallery glorified the natural beauty of man.

18. Man as Individual
• The individual (not the collective) was a
central theme of art and literature in the
culture of renaissance.
• In the western philosophy the paradigmshift occurred during the renaissance, i.e.
from theocentrism of medieval thought
to
anthropocentrism
of
modern
thought.

19. MODERN
PHILOSOPHER

20. ENGLISH THINKERS
VS.
THOMAS
HOBBES

21. Leviathian vs. Two Treatise on
Gov’t
VS.

22. •
•
•
•
•
•
•
English Philosopher
Inspired by the Glorious Revolution
1690 – published Two Treatises on Government
People shaped by their experiences not natural violent
All people had 3 natural rights – life, liberty, & property
People are born with a “tabula rasa” or clean slate.
Purpose of gov’t = serve the people – people have the
right to overthrow the gov’t if it is not serving its
purpose
• Social Contract – agreement b/w ruler & people

23. • English Philosopher
• Influenced by the English Civil War & Charles I
Execution
• 1651 – Published Leviathan (Sea Monster)
• Argued that natural law made absolute monarchy the
best form of gov’t
• Humans were natural selfish and violent
• People couldn’t make their own decisions
• If they did life would be “nasty, brutish, and short”
• Only a strong ruler (Leviathan) could give people
direction

24. • Inspired by the Glorious Revolution & John Locke,
Greek Philosophers
• French Philosopher
• 1748 – published – Spirit of Laws
• Separation of Power – equal divide power among the
3 Branches of gov’t
• Executive (Monarch) enforce laws, Legislative
(Parliament) makes laws, Judicial (Courts) interpret
laws
• By separating these powers, gov’t could not become
too powerful – checks and balances

25. Montesquieu’s 3 branches in Action

26. •
•
•
•
French Philosopher
1762 – published Social Contract
Gov’t should be based on a Social Contract
Everyone must agree to be governed by the general
will – whats good for the people (foundation for
totalitarian gov’t)
• Humans being were naturally good but corrupted by
society
• Importance on Education and Civic Virtue – train
people how to be good citizens.
• People should pay more attention to emotions &
feelings instead of new ideas –seek a balance –

27. • Francois-Marie Arouet – known as
Voltaire
• French Philosopher
• Wrote many novels, plays, letters, &
essays that brought him fame
• Strong dislike of Catholic Church
• Blame the church for keeping
knowledge from people to keep its
power
• Freedom of Religion
• Natural Law runs the world

28. References
• F. Budi Hardiman, Sejarah Filsafat Barat
Modern dari Machiavelli sampai
Nietzsche, Gramedia, Jakarta, 2004

29. THOUGHT TO PONDER
Educating the mind without
educating the heart is no
education at all ~Aristotle ♥
THANK YOU! Have a