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Ideas of Ludwig Feuerbach, by Text

[German, 1804 - 1872, Born in Bavaria. Graduate of Heidelberg. Taught by Hegel. Lived quietly near Nuremberg.]

1839 Towards a Critique of Hegel's Philosophy
p.59 p.59 All philosophies presuppose their historical moment, and arise from it
     Full Idea: Every philosophy originates as a manifestation of its time; its origin presupposes its historical time.
     From: Ludwig Feuerbach (Towards a Critique of Hegel's Philosophy [1839], p.59)
     A reaction: There seems to be widespread agreement among continental philosophers about this idea, whereas analytic philosophers largely ignore, and treat Plato as if he were a current professor in Chicago.
p.63 p.63 I don't study Plato for his own sake; the primary aim is always understanding
     Full Idea: Plato in writing is only a means for me; that which is primary and a priori, that which is the ground to which all is ultimately referred, is understanding.
     From: Ludwig Feuerbach (Towards a Critique of Hegel's Philosophy [1839], p.63)
     A reaction: It always seems to that the main aim of philosophy is understanding - which is why its central activity is explanation.
p.65 p.65 Truth forges an impersonal unity between people
     Full Idea: The urge to communicate is a fundamental urge - the urge for truth. ...That which is true belongs neither to me nor exclusively to you, but is common to all. The thought in which 'I' and 'You' are united is a true thought.
     From: Ludwig Feuerbach (Towards a Critique of Hegel's Philosophy [1839], p.65)
     A reaction: Sceptics may doubt that there are such truths, but this is certainly how we experience agreement - that there is some truth shared between us which is no longer the possession of either of us. Nice idea.
p.72 p.72 A dialectician has to be his own opponent
     Full Idea: A thinker is a dialectician only insofar as he is his own opponent.
     From: Ludwig Feuerbach (Towards a Critique of Hegel's Philosophy [1839], p.72)
     A reaction: Quite an inspirational slogan for beginners in philosophy. How many non-philosophers are willing to be their own opponent. In law courts and the House of Commons we assign the roles to separate persons. Hence rhetoric replaces reason?
p.72 p.72 Each proposition has an antithesis, and truth exists as its refutation
     Full Idea: Every intellectual determination has its antithesis, its contradiction. Truth exists not in unity with, but in refutation of its opposite.
     From: Ludwig Feuerbach (Towards a Critique of Hegel's Philosophy [1839], p.72)
     A reaction: This appears to be a rejection of the 'synthesis' in Hegel, in favour of what strikes me as a rather more sensible interpretation of the modern dialectic. Being exists in contrast to nothingness, and truth exists in contrast to its negation?
p.77 p.77 To our consciousness it is language which looks unreal
     Full Idea: To sensuous consciousness it is precisely language that is unreal, nothing.
     From: Ludwig Feuerbach (Towards a Critique of Hegel's Philosophy [1839], p.77)
     A reaction: Offered as a corrective to the view that our ontological commitments entirely concern what we are willing to say.
p.82 p.82 The Absolute is the 'and' which unites 'spirit and nature'
     Full Idea: The Absolute is spirit and nature. ...But what then is the Absolute? Nothing other than this 'and', that is, the unity of spirit and nature.
     From: Ludwig Feuerbach (Towards a Critique of Hegel's Philosophy [1839], p.82)
     A reaction: This is Feuerbach's spin on Hegel. He has been outlining idealist philosophy and the philosophy of nature in Schelling. Is this Spinoza's one substance?
1839 Fragments on My Philosophical Development
1834-6 p.278 Egoism is the only evil, love the only good; genuine love produces all the other virtues
     Full Idea: There is only one evil - egoism; there is only one good - love. ...Love, but truly! All other virtues will automatically come to you.
     From: Ludwig Feuerbach (Fragments on My Philosophical Development [1839], 1834-6)
     A reaction: This is a rather Christian idea of virtue, coming from the great atheist. Does tough love come from love?
1841 On 'The Beginning of Philosophy'
p.135 p.135 Philosophy is distinguished from other sciences by its complete lack of presuppositions
     Full Idea: Philosophy does not presuppose anything. It is precisely in this fact of non-presupposition that its beginning lies - a beginning by virtue of which it is set apart from all the other sciences.
     From: Ludwig Feuerbach (On 'The Beginning of Philosophy' [1841], p.135)
     A reaction: Most modern philosophers seem to laugh at such an idea, because everything is theory-laden, culture-laden, language-laden etc. As an aspiration I love it, and think good philosophers get quite close to the goal (which, I admit, is not fully attainable).
1841 Introduction of 'Essence of Christianity'
I p.96 Consciousness is said to distinguish man from animals - consciousness of his own species
     Full Idea: What constitutes the essential difference between man and animal? The most simple, general, and most widely held answer to this question is consciousness. Consciousness is given only in the case of a being to whom his species ...is an object of thought.
     From: Ludwig Feuerbach (Introduction of 'Essence of Christianity' [1841], I)
     A reaction: Rather speculative. Since other species cohabit and breed only with their fellow species members, one might have thought they were aware of them.
I p.98 Religion is the consciousness of the infinite
     Full Idea: Religion is the consciousness of the infinite.
     From: Ludwig Feuerbach (Introduction of 'Essence of Christianity' [1841], I)
I p.99 Reason, love and will are the highest perfections and essence of man - the purpose of his life
     Full Idea: Reason, love and power of will are perfections of man; they are his highest powers, his absolute essence in so far as he is man, the purpose of his existence. Man exists in order to think, love and will.
     From: Ludwig Feuerbach (Introduction of 'Essence of Christianity' [1841], I)
     A reaction: Feuerbach was a notable atheist, but adopts a religious style of language which modern atheists would find rather alien. Personally I love talk of ideals and perfections. Ideals have been discredited in modern times, but need a revival.
I p.100 When absorbed in deep reflection, is your reason in control, or is it you?
     Full Idea: When, submerged in deep reflection, you forget both yourself and your surroundings, is it you who controls reason, or is it rather reason that controls and absorbs you?
     From: Ludwig Feuerbach (Introduction of 'Essence of Christianity' [1841], I)
     A reaction: A delightful question, even if it looks like a false dichotomy. I'm not sure what to make of 'me', if my reason can be subtracted from it. Aquinas was one the same wavelength here.
II p.109 The nature of God is an expression of human nature
     Full Idea: God is the manifestation of man's inner nature, his expressed self.
     From: Ludwig Feuerbach (Introduction of 'Essence of Christianity' [1841], II)
     A reaction: Even if you are a deeply committed theist, you have to concede some of this point. The perfections attributed to God are usually of human qualities. Leibniz, though, says that God has an infinity of perfection, mostly unknown to us.
II p.115 If love, goodness and personality are human, the God who is their source is anthropomorphic
     Full Idea: If love, goodness, and personality are human determinations, the being which constitutes their source and ...their presupposition is also an anthropomorphism; so is the existence of God.
     From: Ludwig Feuerbach (Introduction of 'Essence of Christianity' [1841], II)
     A reaction: It is certainly a struggle for the imagination to grasp a being which is characterised by idealised versions of human virtues, and yet has an intrinsic nature which is utterly different from humanity.
II p.119 A God needs justice, kindness and wisdom, but those concepts don't depend on the concept of God
     Full Idea: The concept of God depends on the concepts of justice, kindness and wisdom - a God who is not kind, not just, and not wise is no God. But these concepts do not depend on the concept of God. That a quality is possessed by God does not make it divine.
     From: Ludwig Feuerbach (Introduction of 'Essence of Christianity' [1841], II)
     A reaction: This is part of Feuerbach's argument for atheism, but if you ask for the source of our human concepts of justice, kindness and wisdom, no one, I would have thought, could cite God for the role.
II p.130 Today's atheism will tomorrow become a religion
     Full Idea: What is regarded as atheism today will be religion tomorrow.
     From: Ludwig Feuerbach (Introduction of 'Essence of Christianity' [1841], II)
     A reaction: Modern critics of atheism frequently accuse it of being a new religion. I doubt whether Feuerbach is right, but it is a nice provocative idea.
1843 Principles of Philosophy of the Future
§02 p.5 Catholicism concerns God in himself, Protestantism what God is for man
     Full Idea: Protestantism is no longer concerned, as Catholicism is, about what God is in himself, but about what he is for man.
     From: Ludwig Feuerbach (Principles of Philosophy of the Future [1843], §02)
     A reaction: It is certainly true that the major religions in their origins seem to be almost exclusively concerned with God alone, and have little interest in human life (or morality).
§07 p.10 If God is only an object for man, then only the essence of man is revealed in God
     Full Idea: If God is only an object of man, what is revealed to us in his essence? Nothing but the essence of man.
     From: Ludwig Feuerbach (Principles of Philosophy of the Future [1843], §07)
     A reaction: It is important to distinguish here between what we could know about God, and what we think God might actually be like. We may well only be able to read the essence of man into God, but we might speculate that God is more than that.
§10 p.13 Modern philosophy begins with Descartes' abstraction from sensation and matter
     Full Idea: The beginning of Descartes' philosophy, namely, the abstraction from sensation and matter, is the beginning of modern speculative philosophy.
     From: Ludwig Feuerbach (Principles of Philosophy of the Future [1843], §10)
     A reaction: In Britain it might be said that modern philosophy begins with a rebellion against Descartes' move. Feuerbach is charting the movement towards idealism.
§10 p.14 Absolute idealism is the realized divine mind of Leibnizian theism
     Full Idea: Absolute idealism is nothing but the realized divine mind of Leibnizian theism.
     From: Ludwig Feuerbach (Principles of Philosophy of the Future [1843], §10)
     A reaction: In general it seems an accurate commentary that during the eighteenth century philosophers on the continent were designing a religion without God. Kantian duty tries to replace the authority of God with pure reason.
§17 p.27 Consciousness is absolute reality, and everything exists through consciousness
     Full Idea: Consciousness is the absolute reality, the measure of all existence; all that exists, exists only as being for consciousness, as comprehended in consciousness; for consciousness is first and foremost being.
     From: Ludwig Feuerbach (Principles of Philosophy of the Future [1843], §17)
     A reaction: This is Feuerbach declaring himself in favour of idealism even as he was trying to rebel against it, and move towards a more sensuous and human view of the world. I just see idealists as confusing ontology and epistemology.
§17 p.29 God is for us a mere empty idea, which we fill with our own ego and essence
     Full Idea: God exists, but he is for us a tabula rasa, an empty being, a mere idea; God, as we conceive and think of him, is our ego, our mind, and our essence.
     From: Ludwig Feuerbach (Principles of Philosophy of the Future [1843], §17)
     A reaction: He accepted God's existence because of the Ontological Argument. This is a little stronger than Hume's view (Idea 2185), because Hume seems to be talking about imagining God, but Feuerbach says this is our understanding of God.
§18 p.30 God's existence cannot be separated from essence and concept, which can only be thought as existing
     Full Idea: God is the being in which existence cannot be separated from essence and concept and which cannot be thought except as existing.
     From: Ludwig Feuerbach (Principles of Philosophy of the Future [1843], §18)
     A reaction: This shows how faith in God endured through the Idealist movement by means of the Ontological Argument, despite the criticisms of Hume and Kant. To me this now appears as an odd abberation in the history of human thought.
§23 p.38 Philosophy should not focus on names, but on the determined nature of things
     Full Idea: Philosophy need not care about the conceptions that common usage or misuse attaches to a name; philosophy, however, has to bind itself to the determined nature of things, whose signs are names.
     From: Ludwig Feuerbach (Principles of Philosophy of the Future [1843], §23)
     A reaction: I like this attempt to nip ordinary language philosophy in the bud. Indeed I like the notion of philosophy binding itself to the 'determined nature of things' (which sound like essences to me), rather than to their names or descriptions.
§24/5 p.38 Absolute thought remains in another world from being
     Full Idea: Absolute thought never extricates itself from itself to become being. Being remains in another world. …If being is to be added to an object of thought, so must something distinct from thought be added to thought itself.
     From: Ludwig Feuerbach (Principles of Philosophy of the Future [1843], §24/5)
     A reaction: This sounds a bit like a child wishing for the moon. Is he saying he doesn't just want to think about reality - he wants his mental states to BE external reality? The distinction between a thought and its content or intentionality would help here.
§27 p.42 Being posits essence, and my essence is my being
     Full Idea: Being is the positing of essence. That which is my essence is my being. The fish exists in water; you cannot, however, separate its essence from this being.
     From: Ludwig Feuerbach (Principles of Philosophy of the Future [1843], §27)
     A reaction: This throws a different light on later (e.g. Heidegger) discussions of 'being', which may map onto Aristotelian discussions of essences.
§29 p.44 Particularity belongs to being, whereas generality belongs to thought
     Full Idea: Particularity and individuality belong to being, whereas generality belongs to thought.
     From: Ludwig Feuerbach (Principles of Philosophy of the Future [1843], §29)
     A reaction: This agrees with Russell's view that every sentence (and proposition) must contain a universal (i.e a generality). The very notion of thinking 'about' a horse seems to require a move to the universal concept of a horse.
§29 p.48 Plotinus was ashamed to have a body
     Full Idea: Plotinus, according to his biographers, was ashamed to have a body.
     From: Ludwig Feuerbach (Principles of Philosophy of the Future [1843], §29)
     A reaction: When Feuerbach draws our attention to this, we see what an astonishing state it is for a human being to have got into. Modern thought is appalled by it, but it also has something heroic about it, like swimming all the time because you want to be a fish.
§29 p.48 God is what man would like to be
     Full Idea: God is what man would like to be.
     From: Ludwig Feuerbach (Principles of Philosophy of the Future [1843], §29)
     A reaction: It is hard to see how even the most devout person could deny the truth of this. Perhaps the essential hallmark of humanity is a desire to be different from the way we are.
§31 p.49 The new philosophy thinks of the concrete in a concrete (not a abstract) manner
     Full Idea: The new philosophy is the philosophy that thinks of the concrete not in an abstract, but in a concrete manner.
     From: Ludwig Feuerbach (Principles of Philosophy of the Future [1843], §31)
     A reaction: This leads to placing a high value on art, and on virtuous action through particulars rather than principles, and on empirical science. The only problem is that what he proposes is impossible. To think 'about' is to abstract from the particulars.
§33 p.52 The only true being is of the senses, perception, feeling and love
     Full Idea: Being as an object of being - and only this being is being and deserves the name of being - is the being of the senses, perception, feeling, and love. …Only passion is the hallmark of existence.
     From: Ludwig Feuerbach (Principles of Philosophy of the Future [1843], §33)
     A reaction: This remark seems to make Feuerbach a romantic and anti-Enlightenment figure. I don't see why there shouldn't be just as much 'being' in doing maths as in admiring a landscape. The mention of love links him to Empedocles (Ideas 459 + 630).
§33 p.53 If you love nothing, it doesn't matter whether something exists or not
     Full Idea: To him who loves nothing it is all the same whether something does or does not exist.
     From: Ludwig Feuerbach (Principles of Philosophy of the Future [1843], §33)
     A reaction: This seems to me to be quite a good motto for the aim of education - just get them to love something, no matter what (well, almost!). Loving something, even if it is train-spotting, seems a good route to human happiness.
§35 p.54 Only that which can be an object of religion is an object of philosophy
     Full Idea: Only that which can be an object of religion is an object of philosophy.
     From: Ludwig Feuerbach (Principles of Philosophy of the Future [1843], §35)
     A reaction: The temple of Pythagoras at Solon sounds like an embodiment of this idea. The obvious candidate would be truth, to which philosophers must show almost religious respect. Some what motivates the philosophy of a minimalist (Idea 3750)?
§41 p.58 Ideas arise through communication, and reason is reached through community
     Full Idea: Only through communication and conversation between man and man do ideas arise; not alone, but only with others, does one reach notions and reason in general.
     From: Ludwig Feuerbach (Principles of Philosophy of the Future [1843], §41)
     A reaction: This is a strikingly modern view of the solipsism problem, and is close in spirit to Wittgenstein's Private Language Argument (Ideas 4143 +4158). Feuerbach is interested in universals rather than rules. I prefer Feuerbach.
§41 p.58 Empiricism is right about ideas, but forgets man himself as one of our objects
     Full Idea: Empiricism rightly derives the origin of our ideas from the senses; only it forgets that the most important and essential object of man is man himself.
     From: Ludwig Feuerbach (Principles of Philosophy of the Future [1843], §41)
     A reaction: This seems to nicely pinpoint the objection of most 'continental' philosophy to British empiricism and analytic philosophy. It seems to point towards Husserl's phenomenology as the next step. It is true that empiricists divided person from world.
§45 p.63 The laws of reality are also the laws of thought
     Full Idea: The laws of reality are also the laws of thought.
     From: Ludwig Feuerbach (Principles of Philosophy of the Future [1843], §45)
     A reaction: I like this a lot, though it runs contrary to a lot of conventionalist thinking in the twentieth century. Russell, though, agrees with Feuerbach (Idea 5405). There is not much point to thought if it doesn't plug into reality at the roots.
§53 p.69 In man the lowest senses of smell and taste elevate themselves to intellectual acts
     Full Idea: Even the lowest senses, smell and taste, elevate themselves in man to intellectual and scientific acts.
     From: Ludwig Feuerbach (Principles of Philosophy of the Future [1843], §53)
     A reaction: Since Darwin we have, I am glad to say, lost this need to distinguish what is 'low' or 'high', and to try to show that even our 'lowest' functions are on the 'high' side. Personally, though, I still need the low/high distinction in moral thinking.
§53 p.69 Man is not a particular being, like animals, but a universal being
     Full Idea: Man is not a particular being, like the animals, but a universal being.
     From: Ludwig Feuerbach (Principles of Philosophy of the Future [1843], §53)
     A reaction: This sounds a bit extravagent. The capacity of man to use universals in thought seems crucial to Feuerbach (though he doesn't directly address the problem). 'We are particulars with access to universals' sounds better.
§59 p.71 The essence of man is in community, but with distinct individuals
     Full Idea: The essence of man is contained only in the community and unity of man and man; it is a unity, however, which rests only on the reality of the distinction between I and thou.
     From: Ludwig Feuerbach (Principles of Philosophy of the Future [1843], §59)
     A reaction: In English provincial suburbs (where I live) it is astonishing how little interest in and need for their neighbours people seem to have. People seem to survive without community. Most of us, though, think full human happiness needs community.
26 p.213 Being is what is undetermined, and hence indistinguishable
     Full Idea: Being in the sense in which it is an object of speculative thought is that which is purely and simply unmediated, that is, undetermined; in other words, there is nothing to distinguish and nothing to think of in being.
     From: Ludwig Feuerbach (Principles of Philosophy of the Future [1843], 26)
     A reaction: This sounds remarkably like the idea of 'prime matter' used in scholastic Aristotelian philosophy. Matter existing without form is somehow ungraspable, but presented from Hegel onwards as the ultimate mystery.