Izvorni znanstveni članak

https://doi.org/10.21464/sp37104

The Metaphysics of Immorals – Naturalism, Materialism and Atheism of Marquis de Sade

Aleksej Kišjuhas ; Univerzitet u Novom Sadu, Filozofski fakultet, Dr Zorana Đinđića 2, RS–21000 Novi Sad
Marko Škorić ; Univerzitet u Novom Sadu, Filozofski fakultet, Dr Zorana Đinđića 2, RS–21000 Novi Sad

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Sažetak

This paper argues that Marquis de Sade is a more original and relevant Enlightenment philosopher than it is commonly thought. We argue that de Sade is a notable author and a noteworthy naturalist thinker in contemporary times as well, concerning modern science, organized religion, (homo)sexuality, political violence and prevalent sociocultural norms. In order to demonstrate these claims, we thoroughly analyse de Sadeʼs philosophies of naturalism and materialism, i.e., his metaphysics and his radical ethics of “immorality”, based on viewing (human) Nature as a sole organizing, creative and destructive principle. Furthermore, we detail his atheist and anti-theistic arguments, which he consistently uses to reject the possibility of a God and all supernatural beings, coupled with his social and political criticism of a faith-based society. Thus, we outline the philosophical arguments that made him a controversial, infamous and denounced thinker, and which socially distanced him from the prevailing philosophical milieu. We also argue for the possibility that he deserves a more prominent place in the history of philosophy which is not congruent with the various “rehabilitative” and “revisionist” narratives regarding de Sade as an early champion of the Counter-Enlightenment, anti-science and postmodernism.

Ključne riječi

Marquis de Sade; libertinism; metaphysics; metaphysical ethics; naturalism; materialism; atheism; antitheism

Hrčak ID:

284034

URI

https://hrcak.srce.hr/284034

Datum izdavanja:

30.8.2022.

Podaci na drugim jezicima: hrvatski njemački francuski

Posjeta: 2.244 *