What is Hegelianism?
Hegelianism is a school of philosophy based on the ideas of G. W. F. Hegel, a German philosopher who lived in the early 1800s. A Hegelian believes and follows Hegel’s views. Hegel attempted to use pure logic—that is, rational abstract thought without empirical content—to explain being. This abstract method can make Hegelianism difficult to grasp.…
What is the law of the excluded middle?
The Bible affirms the existence of absolute truth, contrasting with contemporary worldviews such as postmodernism, which deny it. For example, truth is an attribute of God (Numbers 23:19; Romans 3:3–4), a characteristic of the Bible (Psalm 119:160; John 17:17), and embodied in the person of Jesus Christ (John 1:17; 14:6). The evaluation of truth claims…
What is absolute idealism?
In philosophy, idealism is the belief that thoughts, ideas, or “mind” is the ultimate basis of reality; therefore, physical things are illusory or secondary. Absolute idealism takes this further to claim there is a single unifying “mind” behind all things. This is closely related to pantheism, which also suggests that only one “thing” actually exists.…
What is Platonism?
Plato is generally considered the greatest figure in the history of human philosophy. His approach to philosophy and his use of terminology have echoed through Western philosophy for thousands of years. Today, his exact positions are rarely held, and many (if not most) of his arguments have been modified or altered in the thousands of…
How should a Christian view logic?
Logic is the science of deriving truth through the analysis of facts either directly (deductively) or indirectly (inductively). Logic takes given presuppositions, analyzes relationships, compares them with other known factors, and arrives at a conclusion that identifies a previously unknown fact. Logic is math with ideas instead of numbers. It is a way of identifying…
How should a Christian view modernism?
Modernism arose in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, due to some major changes in the world, including the rise of industrial societies, the development of larger, more populated cities, and the terrible tragedy of World War I. Because of a combination of these and other factors, people in Western society began to think…
What is progressivism?
Progressivism is a multi-faceted philosophy advocating progress and change (as opposed to maintaining things as they are). Progressives work toward what they hope will be better conditions, implement what they consider more enlightened ideas, and try new or experimental methods to facilitate change. In politics and religion, progressivism is often called “liberalism.” Progressivism originated in…
What is objectivism?
Objectivism can mean many different things, so examining it depends on what definition is used. Some of those interpretations are consistent with the Bible; others are not. Ayn Rand’s version of objectivism reaches some of the same conclusions as Judeo-Christianity, but for different reasons. Some of Rand’s views are patently unbiblical. Knowing the difference between…
What is intellectualism?
Intellectualism is a term that, depending on the context, either refers to a certain philosophy of truth or to a pronounced emphasis on rational thinking. Philosophically, intellectualism is the idea that all truth and all morals are questions of pure knowledge, that a person’s will is invariably led by the intellect. In more common usage,…
What is Stoicism?
Stoicism is one of many ancient Greek philosophies. While Paul was in Athens, a group of Stoics met him and engaged him in a debate (Acts 17:18) that started in the marketplace and continued in the Areopagus. In speaking to the Stoics and other philosophers gathered on Mars Hill, Paul gave a presentation of the…