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PHILOSOPHY OF HISTORY IN JACQUES MARITAIN’S REFLECTIONS
Emil Čić
Abstract
The subject of the philosophy of history, related to the concept
of metaphysics, has conveniently integrated into the field of my
pursuit, since this is the way in which I analyse history: by means of
metaphysical derivation of phenomenon to the general concept. On
the one hand, history cannot be speculated without a metaphysical
contemplation of history, and, on the other, the case of Maritain is
interesting, because he is one of rare contemporary philosophers who
have studied history in the way that attempts to approach a coherent
metaphysical perception of history. It is said that metaphysics is a
science about everything. Universal science. Science about all beings.
Starting from details, metaphysics come to general conclusions or it
postulates general to confirm or deny in a particular example. Just
for this reason, the history of philosophy is metaphysics, because
it observes details and tries to reach a general conclusion. In its
approach, the philosophy of history is, at the same time, idealistic
and pragmatic. It is idealistic because “… idealism means … that
reality is understood as a spiritual event, in which process the real
elevates to an ideal being ...”; it is pragmatic because, on the basis of
numerous confirmed examples, it points to real tendencies, which
lead to reliable conclusions. Therefore, the philosophy of history is an
expression of a philosophy of pragmatic idealism, and, in the example
of Maritain, we will see why and how.
Keywords
Hrčak ID:
24955
URI
Publication date:
21.3.2005.
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