Projects / Programmes
THE POSSIBILITY OF IDEALISM FOR THE TWENTY-FIRST CENTURY
| Code |
Science |
Field |
Subfield |
| 6.10.00 |
Humanities |
Philosophy |
|
| Code |
Science |
Field |
| H001 |
Humanities |
Philosophy |
| Code |
Science |
Field |
| 6.03 |
Humanities |
Philosophy, Ethics and Religion |
Idealism, realism, truth, reality, subject, the relation between philosophy and science
Researchers (5)
Organisations (1)
Abstract
Idealism is one of the least popular and most disparaged stances in post-Hegelian philosophy. This project’s ambition is to rehabilitate it within the framework of the twenty-first-century thought. The main impulse of this endeavor is a certain deadlock that contemporary philosophy seems to have reached. While Continental thought of the twentieth century got caught in the aberrations of antirealism and finally promoted the utter dissolution of binding and universal truth standards, the twenty-first-century Speculative Realism instead opts for the axiomatic elimination of any kind of subjective attitude towards reality. However, in two respects at least, the result of both lines of thought is similar: on the one hand, the Speculative Realists continue with the post-Hegelian tendency to suppress the idealist elements in the formation of truths; on the other hand, many of them even perpetuate the post-Kantian distrust towards scientific realism. By contrast, the solution that this project proposes is quite the opposite. While the utmost horizons of reality must be drawn by science, the task of philosophy is to provide a theory of the emergence of non-relative, trans-contextual truths with a universal claim. It is our thesis that a strong, historically irrevocable, “absolute” truth can only be constructed around an idealist core, i.e., around a concept that undergoes the process of idealization.
The entire aspiration of the research project is based on the audacity to pose the following question: Is it still possible, in the twenty-first century, to conceive a theory of the formation of the very Truths that can change our worldview, inscribe themselves into History, act as factors of social change, or even trigger a transformative scientific development, a scientific revolution? It will be argued that only an “idealism of truth,” as opposed to any kind of “idealism of reality,” can provide the answer. Thus, the proposed “new idealism” will not consist in deriving reality from the (human) mind, but in discerning, substantiating, and mapping out the irreducibly idealist impulses in the genesis of those truths, whose reach surpasses the particular contexts of subjective interests and perspectives.
In order to elaborate an idealist stance for the twenty-first century, the project’s research work will proceed in four steps. First, “new idealism” will be methodologically differentiated against the traditional idealisms, pseudo-idealisms, and anti-idealisms. Second, the research will reconstruct the historical genesis of the unacknowledged modern “idealism of truth,” that is, of the process in which the legitimation of truth became essentially ideal. The investigation will focus on Kant’s invention of spontaneity of reason and on this basis unveil the origins of post-Kantian antirealism and post-Hegelian anti-idealism. The goal will be to surpass the limitations of both and reconcile idealism with realism. Third, the project will advocate the necessity of subjectivity and derive it from the historical processes of de-symbolization of reality. Fourth, it will be shown how this newly defined “idealism of truth” can shed new light on scientific thought, where momentous scientific concepts arise by way of idealization. It will be demonstrated how the “idealist move” opens the space of realism, i.e., the possibility of an empirical, quantifiable apprehension of reality. In short, if Kant declared himself to be both a transcendental idealist and an empirical realist, our ambition is to show that one must first be an “idealist of truth” in order to subsequently be an “ontological realist.”
Significance for science
The relevance for the development of science can be summarized in three points:
The international reputation of the project leader and the members of the project group promise broad scientific impact and relevance of the research project. The most important part of the research will be the original scholarly work aiming to reach highest scientific quality, and the publication in major philosophical outlets. The ultimate scope of the research project consists in enabling a dialogue with the most important achievements of contemporary thought, in taking part in international currents and streams of philosophy today, and in promoting the global proliferation of a certain line of thought.
The significance of this research project lies primarily in the fact that it is conceived as another phase in one of the liveliest debates within contemporary continental philosophy, which has been steadily abandoning the stances of postmodern relativism in recent years. However, recent developments have shown that the debate is far from over. After several philosophical currents have united under the banner of realism, it quickly became clear that the only thing they genuinely agree on – other than the return to some kind of in-itself – is a common enemy: idealism. The relevance of our proposal consists in the fact that the research group indeed acknowledges the call for realism in philosophy, but wants to outline an alternative solution, which shows that a certain kind of idealism is nevertheless indispensable if we wish to trade relativism for universality. Since our proposal directly addresses the problem of truth, we believe that philosophical research so conceived – especially in our time –is highly needed.
The financing will enable the continuity of research work for some already renowned researchers, but also the younger researchers. The goal of the project is thus to establish a more long-lasting research group with its specific area of expertise, focusing on the subjects of realism and idealism and trying to reconcile this age-old philosophical tension. Thereby, Ljubljana will remain one of the leading centers of contemporary philosophy.
Significance for the country
The relevance for the development of science can be summarized in three points:
The international reputation of the project leader and the members of the project group promise broad scientific impact and relevance of the research project. The most important part of the research will be the original scholarly work aiming to reach highest scientific quality, and the publication in major philosophical outlets. The ultimate scope of the research project consists in enabling a dialogue with the most important achievements of contemporary thought, in taking part in international currents and streams of philosophy today, and in promoting the global proliferation of a certain line of thought.
The significance of this research project lies primarily in the fact that it is conceived as another phase in one of the liveliest debates within contemporary continental philosophy, which has been steadily abandoning the stances of postmodern relativism in recent years. However, recent developments have shown that the debate is far from over. After several philosophical currents have united under the banner of realism, it quickly became clear that the only thing they genuinely agree on – other than the return to some kind of in-itself – is a common enemy: idealism. The relevance of our proposal consists in the fact that the research group indeed acknowledges the call for realism in philosophy, but wants to outline an alternative solution, which shows that a certain kind of idealism is nevertheless indispensable if we wish to trade relativism for universality. Since our proposal directly addresses the problem of truth, we believe that philosophical research so conceived – especially in our time –is highly needed.
The financing will enable the continuity of research work for some already renowned researchers, but also the younger researchers. The goal of the project is thus to establish a more long-lasting research group with its specific area of expertise, focusing on the subjects of realism and idealism and trying to reconcile this age-old philosophical tension. Thereby, Ljubljana will remain one of the leading centers of contemporary philosophy.
Most important scientific results
Interim report
Most important socioeconomically and culturally relevant results
Interim report
