Idealism and materialism. These two words may sound profound, but to put it bluntly, they are talking about what the world is really like.
Let's start with materialism. Materialism, in simple terms, is the belief that the essence of this world is material, and everything is determined by matter. That is to say, the mountains and rivers you see, the heat, cold, sour and sweet you feel, and even your thoughts and feelings are all determined by substances, such as your brain nerves, physical and chemical processes. Materialists believe that the world exists objectively and does not depend on our perception.
For example, when you're not there, is your sofa still there? Materialists will say, of course, it doesn't disappear just because you don't look at it. Also, materialism believes that the world can be known and transformed through science, because everything follows the laws of matter.
Let's look at idealism. It's a bit of the other way around. Idealism holds that the essence of the world is actually spiritual and determined by consciousness. That is, the whole world, including our surroundings, is actually a reflection of our consciousness, our thoughts. If no one knew it, it probably wouldn't exist.
In the case of that sofa, an idealist might tell you that the sofa "exists" because someone realizes it's there. No one realizes it, it's like it doesn't exist. Idealism emphasizes non-material things such as thoughts and feelings, believing that these are the real forces that drive the world.
To put it bluntly, materialism and idealism are two ways of looking at the world. Materialism is like a down-to-earth engineer who thinks that everything is real and in order, while idealism is like a philosopher who thinks about life, believing that the world is changeable and depends on how we see and understand it.
These two views have been debated throughout history. Proponents of materialism believe that only by accepting that the world is material can human beings transform the world through science and practice, while proponents of idealism believe that only by understanding the power of the spirit can human beings truly understand the world and achieve spiritual freedom and liberation.
But in reality, these two views are not completely opposites. In different areas, they all have their own rationale. For example, in scientific research, materialism provides a solid foundation, while in the fields of art, religion, morality, etc., idealism provides profound insight.
Therefore, idealism and materialism are not black and white choices. Understanding these two philosophies can help us see the world more holistically. We can adopt a materialist approach in the practice of science, and at the same time, we can draw on the idealist perspective when thinking about the meaning of life.
Idealism and materialism are like the two eyes of philosophy. We need a balanced perspective of both in order to understand this complex and ever-changing world more comprehensively and deeply. Isn't philosophy just to help us broaden our horizons and better understand life?#Article First Challenge#