The New Philosophy
Feuerbach’s writings sought to convert people from theologians into “anthropologians,” and from “God-lovers” into “man-lovers,” by affirming the substantial being of humanity.
His project involved unveiling the “mystery of theology” as anthropology, identifying the object of religion as entirely human.
Feuerbach argued that religion originates from man’s unconscious projection of his own essential qualities, desires, and experiences onto an external divine being.
Attributes such as reason, will, and affection are, in their true essence, human attributes, conceived by man as infinite or absolute.
Crucially, he states: “Homo homini Deus est” (“Man is God to man”), identifying this as a profound practical principle and the axis upon which world history turns.
This idea underscores that whatever man feels toward God, he also feels toward man, and that only a God who reflects human emotions and concerns holds any real interest for humanity.
Feuerbach’s humanism emphasized the “real, complete nature of man” as the foundation of philosophy.
He grounded his “new philosophy” in the truth of love and feeling, contending that it affirms what “every real man admits in his heart.”
This philosophy demands “real and sensuous objects, real and sensuous beings,” and consciously recognizes the “truth of sensuousness” with an “open heart,” treating the sensuous as immediately certain and unquestionable.
For Feuerbach, man is not solely a thinking being; his “whole being” including his body, senses, universality, and freedom distinguishes him and forms the basis of his philosophy.
His concept of “whole being,” especially in reference to humanity, is central to his effort to shift focus from abstract divinity to concrete human existence.
Key Aspects of Feuerbach’s “Whole Being”
Consciousness of the Species:
Feuerbach argues that man’s essential difference from animals lies in his “consciousness in the strict sense”—the ability to make his own species and essential nature an object of thought.
This higher consciousness enables man to reflect on the nature of other things as well, implying a “twofold life” unlike the simple existence of animals.
Trinity in Man (Reason, Will, Affection):
A “complete man” possesses the powers of thought (reason), will, and affection (love).
These are not mere faculties but “constituent elements of his nature,” which he is by them, not merely with them.
Feuerbach describes them as “perfections,” “essences,” and “realities”, “divine, absolute powers.”
Their unity forms the “divine trinity in man, above the individual man.”
Sensuousness and Reality:
Feuerbach’s philosophy insists on grounding ideas in sensory experience, especially sight.
He asserts that what is truly real is not the abstract object of reason, but the object as it appears to the “real, complete man.”
Thus, “truth, reality, and sensuousness are one and the same,” and “only a sensuous being is a true and real being.”
Objects become real only when they affect man and are experienced through his own activity.
Love and Feeling:
Love and feeling are central to Feuerbach’s philosophy, revealing the “secret of being.” He writes: “Love is passion, and passion alone is the distinctive mark of existence.” Love gives absolute value to the particular—“this person, this thing.” He even claims that “human feelings have... an ontological and metaphysical significance,” and that only what brings joy or pain truly exists.
Social Nature:
Man’s full realization is found not in isolation but in community.
The isolated individual lacks the essence of man both morally and intellectually. Feuerbach insists that “the essence of man is contained only in the community, in the unity of man with man”—a unity grounded in the distinction between “I” and “You.” He declares: “Man with man—the unity of ‘I’ and ‘You’ that is God.”
This togetherness is the first principle and the criterion of truth and universality.
His philosophy culminates in the motto: “Homo sum, humani nihil a me alienum puto” (“I am human; nothing human is alien to me”), advocating for a philosophy that serves as a religion centered on man and rooted in human experience.
Written by Adel Elsherif
