The phenomenology of civilization; reason as a regulative principle

Maurice Moshe Eisenstein, Purdue University

Abstract

Over sixty years ago, both Husserl and Collingwood wrote about the problem of historicism and psychologism and their resulting problem of relativism. Historicism and psychologism both result in the inability to make normative distinctions because they equalize all human activity. Historicism and psychologism lead to relativism, the inappropriateness of making or inability to make critical normative evaluations. The result is a lack of a critical principle by which normative decisions are possible. Historicism and psychologism have led to relativism--the rejection of the possibility of absolute knowledge. This is not just a philosophical issue; but has direct effect on day to day political and social life: Husserl's "crisis of humanity" and Collingwood's "threat of barbarism" are still relevant. Relativism results in a direct and substantive effect on the composition of family-life, community, social relationships, economic relations, and the interaction between states. This dissertation's examination of R. G. Collingwood's phenomenology of civilization leads us to juxtapose his inquiry into civilization with the works of the "founder" of phenomenology, Edmund Husserl. This juxtaposition has indicated that Collingwood's phenomenology of civilization complements Husserl phenomenology by in some areas completing Husserl's ideas and in others adding the political dimension which makes phenomenology a more viable philosophical basis for understanding the political phenomena. Collingwood's perspective is shown in conjunction with phenomenology's parallel pursuit of the same goals showing how those two differing approaches to achieving the same end converge with each other. As a result of this inquiry it is found that both Collingwood and Husserl remain within the concerns of "modernity." They focus on the individual and the maximization of reason and therefore of choice by the individual. Although they are committed to the liberal view of the individual, neither man sees harmonious liberalism as a solution. Harmonious liberalism reinforces relativism because it requires the acceptance of all principles for the sake of its over-riding principle "harmony." For both Collingwood and Husserl the over-riding principle for organizing Western civilization should be reason. With reason as the regulative principle, critical liberalism or civilization can invoked.

Degree

Ph.D.

Advisors

Weinstein, Purdue University.

Subject Area

Political science|Philosophy

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