Category: Great Thinkers

Was Jesus a Philosopher?

Lots of people refer to Christianity as a philosophy. But is it, and was its namesake a philosopher?

It’s been a while since we’ve looked at the definition of philosophy, so let’s refresh our memories, so we can all be on the same page. Stay with me as we  slug through some of the terms and definitions. (And you’ll want to stay with the entire post to get to the great YouTube video I’ve included at the end!)

 

 Merriam-Webster online provides five definitions:

 

  1. a (1) : all learning exclusive of technical preceptsand practical arts

(2) : the sciences and liberal arts exclusive of medicine, law, and theology

  • a doctor of philosophy

(3) : the 4-year college course of a major seminary

b (1) archaic : physical science

(2) : ethics

c : a discipline comprising as its core logic, aesthetics, ethics, metaphysics, and epistemology

2a : pursuit of wisdom

b : a search for a general understanding of values and reality by chiefly speculative rather than observational means

c : an analysis of the grounds of and concepts expressing fundamental beliefs

3a : a system of philosophical concepts

b : a theory underlying or regarding a sphere of activity or thought

  • the philosophyof war

4a : the most basic beliefs, concepts, and attitudes of an individual or group

b : calmness of temper and judgment befitting a philosopher

 

Let’s begin at number 1.

Would Christianity be considered “all learning exclusive of technical precepts and practical arts”? Does Christianity notconcern itself with technical precepts, with precepts defined as a general rule to guide or regulate thought and behavior? I think it would depend upon how you define technical, but it certainly does provide general rules that guide our thought and behavior. Or should.

We can dismiss definition 1(2) because it specifically excludes theology, which Christianity most definitely is.

Since Christianity is sometimes offered as a 4-year course in a seminary, so we can say, “yes” to 1 a. (3).

Christianity certainly falls into the definition found in 1. c. “a discipline comprising as its core logic, aesthetics, ethics, metaphysics, and epistemology.” Epistemology being the study of uncovering what’s justified belief and what’s merely opinion.

And in a tangential way, it can be considered a pursuit of wisdom, because believers study Christ and the Bible in order to gain knowledge, wisdom and discernment. So let’s give a thumbs up to 2a.

 

A breakdown—

When we arrive at definition 2 b. though, I think we see a crack. Christianity is not speculative. At least, fundamental Christians don’t believe it to be. More liberal thinkers might agree with this definition, though. Many of them consider much of Scripture to be speculative, hinging on man’s definition throughout the centuries and open to modern interpretations. Kind of like a “living” constitution, where people believe it means what it should mean for a particular time and generation. Fluid.

I don’t see Christianity as fluid, although I will say that our understanding of some of God’s words may be full of holes and based on ignorance or bias.

Christianity can also be an analysis of the grounds of and concepts expressing fundamental beliefs that we see in definition 2 c.

But it’s not a system, and I would argue vehemently that it’s not a theory. A theory is a supposition, an idea, or principles that mandate a particular action. You could say that Christianity and The Bible present principles to guide us, but that’s not what the foundation of Christianity, or God-focused belief is. You can look to many other religions for that type of structure or belief.

And then we arrive at the definition we can’t deny fits into the Christianity construct— 4a.

 

“The most basic beliefs, concepts, and attitudes of an individual or group.”

 

If someone narrowed down a Christian’s beliefs, concepts, and attitudes, or did that with the church as a whole, they should be able to unearth the core principles a believer attests to. The non-negotiables that categorize you as a follower of Christ. Or The Way, as the first believers originally called it.

 

I only wish more Christians could be referred to as philosophers, with corresponding calm temperaments and judgment as the final definition states.

 

Conclusions—What about Jesus?

So, if we come to the conclusion that in some ways Christianity can be defined as and studied as a philosophy, can we make the statement that Jesus was a philosopher?

 

If he was a philosopher, was Jesus a different kind of philosopher?

Take a moment to listen to what Christian speaker, George Haraksin—from Reasons to Believe—has to say about it in this YouTube video. It’s less than four minutes and may challenge and broaden your thinking.

 

What do you think? And does it matter?

 

NEXT WEEK: I’ll take a break to celebrate and discuss a special occasion in my life, from a meditation perspective. (This is an update and change from the original published post.)

 

Until then,

Keep growing and challenging yourself in your faith and understanding of God’s truth!

Blessings,

 Andrea

May you prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers (3 John 2).

Photo by Simeon Jacobsen

Celebrating Milestones—Becoming a Thinker of Great Thoughts

My older son, who is my first-born child, emerged from the womb with bright, wide-open eyes taking in his new surroundings. “Are they always this alert?” I asked the doctor who’d just delivered him.

“No. That one’s going to require extra stimulation.”

Oh, how right that doctor was!

 

My son was busy, and a innovative, master Lego builder. He thought big thoughts and dreamed big dreams. He disrupted his first-grade class with too much socializing and talking after finishing all of his seatwork early and having nothing else to do. When I brought him home to home school, I worked hard to stay ten steps ahead of him. I wasn’t always successful.

One day in college he called me to have a philosophical chat, something we still enjoy doing. “I’m thinking about going into artificial intelligence,” he said. “But I’m worried about it. The moral implications. In the wrong hands, AI could be dangerous and disastrous. I just don’t know if I should do it.”

We chatted, and I gave him some things to think about. But mostly I just listened to him . I think he needed to hear himself talk, to lay out all of his pros and cons. And then make a decision.

 

 

Here he is, seven years later, wearing a Doctor of Philosophy robe and cap and holding a PhD in Robotics and Artificial Intelligence. Specifically Mechatronics—a technology that combines electronics and mechanical engineering.

And I think it’s ironic that I now have a Doctor of Philosophy in the family at a time when we’ve been studying philosophy and the great thinkers here on Meditation Mondays.

 

Now my son has a “great thinker” degree. And that’s what they encouraged him to do when he arrived on campus for his M.S. and PhD combined program.

 

At first, he thought it was pretty swell, being encouraged to stroll around campus, sit and think and take notes about his thinkings. He still does things like that, especially when he’s out hiking the Cascades or Snoqualmie with his trusty hiking buddy Nox, (my adorable Maltipoo granddog). But now he mostly thinks great, useful thoughts. Practical thoughts that produce designs and devices to help mankind. He knows the process of thinking and putting to the test great thoughts, but he’s more focused on the moral issues and ramifications.

For that, I’m grateful.

I hope his B-HAG (Big Hairy Audacious Goal) dreams come true!

 

Thanks for letting me indulge in family news the last two posts and let my pride ooze over a little more than it should.

See you back here on the 18th for some practical meditation!

Until then,

Make it a great week of (moral and ethical) thinking!

Andrea

May you prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers (3 John 2).

Photo courtesy of Andrea A Owan

Mover and Shaker in Human History Worldview—Karl Marx

The Merriam-Webster Dictionary lists a variety of definitions for philosophy, depending on what you’re referencing. For our purposes, it lists three definitions:

  1. pursuit of wisdom
  2. 2. a search for a general understanding of values and reality by chiefly speculativerather than observational means
  3. an analysis of the grounds of and concepts expressing fundamental beliefs

 

After reading those definitions, my first question is: What is wisdom? How is that defined?

So, I headed over to wisdom and found several definitions.

  1.   a: ability to discern inner qualities and relationships : insight

   b : good sense : judgment

   c : generally accepted belief

   d : accumulated philosophical or scientific learning : knowledge

2: a wise attitude, belief, or course of action

3: the teachings of the ancient wise men

 

After thinking about these defintions, I came to the conclusion that philosophers—for the most part, although some venture into the testable and observable realm—are people who seek to understand inner qualities and relationships through a search for a general understanding of values and reality by chiefly speculative means. (The chiefly speculative means grabs my attention. Why? Because I don’t think we need to speculate. But we’ll venture into that discussion in a future post!)

They also analyze the grounds of and concepts expressing fundamental beliefs. And many of them are quick to dismiss some of those grounds and concepts and replace them with their own theories and beliefs about people’s behaviors and attitudes, and how to make the thoughts and behaviors right.

 

The term philosophy was first used by Pythagoras, the Greek mathematician and philosopher who invented the famous Pythagorean mathematical theorem. He also founded the Pythagoreanism movement. Interestingly, people considered it a religion. Pythagoras believed in the divinity and immortality of the soul, which—on Earth—is imprisoned in a human form. (We started to discuss that belief in last Friday’s discussion about the soul.)

 

20th Century Philosophy—

The 20th Century saw a development of a large number of new philosophy schools. Many of them came and quickly vaporized. Some are still being practiced and clung to. thefamouspeople.com site contains a litany of people regarded as modern philosophers. I stopped counting at 147.

thebestschools.org lists their top 50 most influential living philosophers. Reading through their overviews is enough to make your eyes cross and your head ache.

But it’s educational, and eye opening. A cursory read of some of these philosophers’ beliefs gives you tremendous insight into what and how much of our society thinks in 2018; and how political beliefs fall into the field of social science.

And as I’m reading these most influential thinkers, I’m thinking, Me thinks you think too much! What a waste of time, and precious mental real estate.

You could, as these highly (and probably over-educated) people do, spend a lifetime posing questions about life and get no closer to solving the world’s human condition. While some of their thinking and work seem practical, much of it sounds, well, silly, and way too irrelevant for the common person.

 

Returning to the 19th Century—

But all we need to do is go back one more century to find a man who may have had one of the most profound, far-reaching and permanent influences on society.

Karl Marx.

Born in Germany in 1818, Marx wore a lot of hats—philosopher, economist, historian, political theorist, sociologist, and journalist. But his most famous is the revolutionary socialist, and his fame blossomed with his writing and publishing of the Communist Manifesto. He is cited as one of the principal architects of modern social science.

One of his most famous quotes is:

 

“Religion is the sigh of the oppressed creature, the heart of a heartless world, just as it is the spirit of a spiritless situation. It is the opium of the people.

 

Marx obviously had pity (and disdain) for religion and the people who he labeled “religious.” (Out of curiosity, all of you religious types who feel oppressed, heartless, spiritless, and drugged, please raise your hands!)

My religious life is the polar opposite of his definition. On the contrary, I feel most oppressed by the world. And my spirit sores the most when I am thinking about and interacting with God. It is faith that brings spirit to a dying, depressed world. It is the hope in the midst of pain and suffering. It is the love given to us by the Almighty that really makes the world go round.

Another famous Marx quote is:

 

“The philosophers have only interpreted the world in various ways. The point, however, is to change it.”

 

And change the world Marx did!

He and the German philosopher Friedrich Engels focused on class struggle and believed society would eventually develop from one of oppressing the bourgeois—materialistic, conventional-thinking middle class, a result of capitalism—to a socialist, classless society. And he wasn’t a fan of religion. He felt that the ruling classes primarily used it to oppress the non-ruling ones.

If you allow me to perch myself on my soapbox for a minute, it sounds a lot like the progressive ideology being touted right now. And ironically, it is the powerful and moneyed that are preaching it to the masses—the beauty, happiness, and contentment of a classless society, with them in charge! (Of course you need someone in charge, since the masses aren’t smart enough to make decisions for themselves.)

Something I find ironic is that Marx seemed to abhor the idea of the state controlling the masses, snooping into people’s lives and trying to control them, contrary ideas, beliefs and writings being perused and punished. Because that’s exactly what modern Communism does.

Marxism is a philosophy that won’t die. It keeps being re-fashioned and renamed for the next generation. Keep your eyes and ears open for Marxist ideas being spread in the press, and by politicians, policy makers, and social scientists.

 

Homework:

Take a few minutes to Google how many socialist countries there were at the beginning of the 1800’s. Then fast forward to today. What kind of influence has Marxism had on the world?

And what kind of effect has it had on the people in the countries where it has become the political rule of law?

For deeper thought—

How do you think you would function under a Communist government? Would you be better or worse off? What rights that you now enjoy would you probably lose? (This might require some research, but it will be worth the effort.)

“Don’t become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You’ll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you” (Romans 12:2, The Message).

 

NEXT WEEK: Real-time philosophy, and meditating on the miraculous

 Until then,

Happy thinking!

Andrea

 “Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will” (Romans 12:2, NIV).

19 Movers and Shakers in Human History Worldview (Part 2)

On Meditation Mondays we’ve been studying the big philosophical thinkers of all time on Meditation Mondays, and today, let’s look at the next 7 of the 19 most well known thinkers of all time. As before, we’ll specifically explore what they thought about God in human history.

The next 8 big thinkers—

Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel (1770 – 1831) Hegel, a German, aimed to turn the study of philosophy into a comprehensive science and re-create or rephrase Christian truth. He regarded all of human history as an argument, something to be disputed and wrestled with; and he believed the wrestling with and among the absolutes would bring forth life. (However he defined “life.”)

 

Arthur Schopenhauer (1788 – 1860) A German philosopher, like Hegel, Schopenhauer is considered to be a true pessimist. He believed life is evil to the core, and pain and suffering are unavoidable. He is the father of Existentialism, although the Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines Existentialism as chiefly a 20th Century                                                                              philosophy.

Existentialism, according to Merriam-Webster, defines it as

“a movement embracing diverse doctrines but centering on analysis of individual existence in an unfathomable universe and the plight of the individual who must assume ultimate responsibility for acts of free will without any certain knowledge of what is right or wrong or good or bad.”

 

Soren Kierkegaard (1813 – 1855) Kierkegaard, a Dane and deeply religious thinker, believed that God’s existence cannot be proven. But he believed that a religious leap of faith could make our lives bearable and meaningful. He is regarded as a Theist—someone who believes in a God as the creative source of the human race and the world who transcends the world but is immanent (being within the limits of possible experience or knowledge) in it. Most theists regard God as a creator who stands back from His creation without getting too involved it.

 

Friedrich Nietzsche (1844 – 1900) Another German thinker, Nietzsche proclaimed that God is dead and that humans are creative and can use their own strength and intelligence to give their lives meaning. God would be unnecessary for that. He was considered to be exceptionally brilliant and prophetic.

 

 

John Dewey (1859 – 1952) An American! Dewey was considered to be a pragmatist—someone guided by practicality and that “the function of thought is to guide action.” He considered democracy to be a way of life, and that democracy should be promoted and pursued by a rational and effective educational system. Dewey has had a profound impact on both the American educational and political systems.

Dewey was one of the 34 signers of the 1933 Humanist Manifesto. Although humanism focuses on a positive attitude about the world, and is centered on human experiences, thought, and hope, this philosophy claims that moral values are properly founded on human nature (which, they believe, is essential good), and experience alone.

 

Albert Camus (1913 – 1960) Camus was an atheist who was an existentialist. He believed humans must establish their own dignity, despite a meaningless life.

 

 

 

 

C.S. Lewis (1898 – 1963) A former atheist, the British and Oxford don, Lewis, became the greatest Christian apologist of the 20th Century. He is the esteemed author of the famous Chronicles of Narnia series, as well as Mere Christianity, and was a close friend of the Lord of the Rings trilogy author, J.R.R. Tolkien. Both men were members of the Inklings, an informal literary discussion group associated with Oxford, England.

 

But what about Jesus? And Karl Marx. Darwin? They’re on the list, so you won’t want to miss next week!

 Next week we’ll look at these other movers and shakers who’ve influenced our thinking and helped shape our world views. And see how our beliefs align with or contradict theirs.

Until then,

Have fun thinking deep thoughts!

Blessings,

Andrea

May you prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers (3 John 2).

Photos courtesy of Google Images

 

19 MOVERS AND SHAKERS IN HUMAN HISTORY WORLDVIEW (Part 1)

The first eight big thinkers—

Today, let’s look at 8 of the 19 most well known thinkers of all time. We’ll specifically explore what they thought about God in human history.

 

MOSES (500 B.C.?)—Moses is considered to be the lawgiver, and the man who wrote the first five books of the Old Testament portion of the Bible (the Pentateuch). Moses identified God as an all knowing, all-powerful, all and everywhere present being.

 

PLATO (430 – 350 B.C.) —The Greek Plato is considered to be the first great Western philosopher. He believed that existing things are modeled on changeless, eternal forms. He also believed in a multitude of gods, who were very active in human affairs.

 

 

ARISTOTLE (384 – 322 B.C.)—Also a Greek, Aristotle was the first to systematically describe physics, biology, psychology, and the standards of literature. He was also the first true empiricist—one who believes in the scientific method of forming a hypothesis from observations and beliefs, asking a question, designing research to test the hypothesis, doing the research to gather data, and forming a conclusion based on the research findings. He is also identified as one of the first agnostics—someone unsure about whether there really is a living God.

AUGUSTINE (A.D. 354 – 430)—While St. Augustine of Hippo originally struggled to “find” faith in Christianity, he later became one of the most important and well-known theologians in Christian history. He also addressed the tug-of-war                                                                                                         between science and religion.

 

THOMAS AQUINAS (A.D. 1224 – 1274) Aquinas, a Catholic priest, wrote the famous work Summa Theologica. In it he offers proofs of the existence of God and outlined ways to blessedness. He was a strong Theist—belief in the existence of one God who is the creative source of the world and human race and who transcends that world while also functioning within it.

 

BARUCH SPINOZA (1632 – 1677)—Spinoza, who lived in Holland, believed that God is an infinite being who is identical with the world. In other words, God is alive and He is everywhere. Because He is everywhere, we are all part of                                                                                            the deity.

 

DAVID HUME (1711 – 1776)—Hume, a Scotsman, thought the entire world is formed from the perception of our sensory experiences and believed everything had to be measured and replicated in order to believed, He doubted that we could ever really know anything with certainty. Consequently, he believed that the miraculous, and whether God existed, were irrelevant discussions.

 

 

 

 

 

KANT (1724 -1804)—Kant, a German, believed the human reason creates a world where all events are causally connected, (cause and effect) and this connection enables us to act in moral ways. His focus on reason as the driving force behind action, led him to believe that the mind was god.

 

 

Have you heard of any of those guys? Moses, Plato, and Aristotle, probably. Maybe Augustine. Perhaps Thomas Aquinas. But the others? Even though you might not have heard of them, can you identify their beliefs as ones you’ve read about or been taught before?

 

We’ll stop with Kant today.

Next week we’ll look at other movers and shakers who have influenced our thinking and helped shape our worldviews. And see how our beliefs align with or contradict theirs.

 

Things to Consider—

Do any of the beliefs of the philosophers we gave overviews for today resonate with you?

Do any of your beliefs sound like theirs?

Do you disagree with their judgment?

 

 

And as we move forward, be thinking about the following truth:

All of these thinkers can be wrong, but they can’t all be right.

 

Until next week,

Have fun thinking deep thoughts!

Blessings,

Andrea

“May you prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers” (3 John 2).

 

Photos courtesy of Google Images