THE HIGH PRIESTS OF MODERNITY

1
THE HIGH PRIESTS OF MODERNITY

• Marx, Nietzsche, Freud

2
Darwins Origin of Species

• Published in 1859
• Contrary to popular belief, Darwinism was not
  initially influential as a worldview explanation.
  Came under heavy attack from the scientific as
  well as religious community.
• The worldview of naturalism in general,
  therefore, is not irreducibly Darwinian.

3
Karl Marx (1818-1883)

• Following Hegels philosophy of
  thesis-anthesis-synthesis, Marx advocated
  dialectical materialism, and held that all
  history is the story of class struggle.

4
Marxs Update on Hegel

• Marx critiqued the idealist metaphysic of Hegel,
  and opted for metaphysical materialism.
• He proposed to set Hegel on his feet.
• Agreed with 19th century German materialist
  philosopher Ludwig Feuerbach that God is merely a
  wish being a projection of deep-seated human
  longing.

5
Friedrich Nietzsche (1844-1900)

• In Thus Spake Zarathustra (1883 to 1885), he
  proclaimed that "God is dead. Nietzsche denied
  the existence of objective truth, and held that
  all claims to knowledge merely attempt the will
  to power.

6
Nihilism

• The death of God refers to a cultural event.
• There can be no other metaphysical substitutes
• Although Nietzsche did not originate the concept,
  he invested it with new meaning. Nihilism
  teaches that truth and value do not exist. The
  universe is only invested with meaning.
• History awaits die Übermensch (superman) who
  will to power will change the course of history.

7
Nietzsches Worldview

• The interpretive character of all human thought.
• All human ideas must be reevaluated.
• Genealogical method
• The perspectival character of all human thought.
• Absolute knowledge is an impossibility

8
Nietzsches Worldview

• The concept of eternal return
• The world has no beginning and no end
• Nothing transcends life in this world
• The reality of naturalism
• The soul is only a word for something about the
  body. Zarathustra

9
Anarchism

• Flourishes in an environment in which fact and
  value are separated.
• Advocates chaos and the subversion of structures
  of government.
• The goal of anarchy is disorder. Marx predicted
  that the final utopian state of humanity would
  consist of a classless, stateless,
  self-governing, anarchic world.

10
Anarchism A response

• Thrives on the rejection of authority
• Esteems autonomy as the good
• Even most Enlightenment political philosophers
  (Hobbes, Locke) recognize society is necessary
  and true anarchy is not possible.
• We must hold forth Christian community as the
  corroboration of the Christian gospel.

11
Sigmund Freud (1856-1939)

• More than any other person, Freud excised the
  notion of moral responsibility from human
  behavior by dividing the human psyche into ego
  (conscious), id (unconscious/primitive), and
  superego (conscience/parents).

12
The legacy of Freud

• Hysteria involves a disorder with organic
  symptoms with no apparent organic cause (CDP)
• Freud understood culture as an expression of
  desires in conflict with one another.
• Religion, art, and science do not alleviate the
  deeper, inner need for sexual or aggressive
  satisfaction.
• Freuds answer is for every person to be in
  therapy.