The history of philosophy that originated in the West is quite fascinating. We can approach it through two fields, allowing us to establish a systematic study of philosophy. Therefore, those who wish to delve into this area often visit bookstores to purchase books. However, they are often taken aback by the thickness of the books. Next to them, there is another book titled Volume 2, which is even thicker, causing many to turn away.

Today, I would like to conduct a lecture over two parts to help you open the door to Western philosophy. In this first lecture, we will explore the basic characteristics of Western philosophy and then organize the overall flow of philosophical history. I will provide you with points to consider when selecting books and things to be mindful of while studying. In the second lecture, we will discuss the books currently published in the market.

I will select and analyze several influential books related to philosophy and the history of philosophy, focusing on those that have had a significant impact. I hope you look forward to this time as we begin today’s lecture. Kant, Plato, Thomas Aquinas, and Wittgenstein. Now, let’s arrange these philosophers according to their historical context. The order will remain the same as we have it now. This order is unlikely to change in the future. In other words, no matter how vast the content of Western philosophy may be, it ultimately serves as a summary of the past, which means it will always maintain the same order. Therefore, if we manage to organize the flow of philosophy well, it will not change thereafter and will retain its general form. This is the essence of studying the history of philosophy.

Now, let's explore what characteristics the history of philosophy is based on. All philosophical texts that exist in the world generally start their narratives from the 6th century Greek city of Miletus. This is because philosophy first emerged here, as noted by Socrates, who raised questions about it. However, the academic perspectives on this matter are quite varied. Depending on the author's personal inclinations and intentions, the content may differ slightly. For example, some authors might directly develop the narrative from the discussions of the pre-Socratics, while others might begin their explanations by introducing the cultural, economic, and geographical characteristics of the era in which these philosophers lived. In other words, while the fundamental timeline of philosophical eras may be quite similar across different texts, the information regarding the background and culture of those times can vary from author to author.

The story of philosophy begins with the ancient period and is broadly divided into four major sections: the Middle Ages, the Modern period, and the Contemporary period. The ancient period is marked by Socrates, who serves as a benchmark, dividing philosophy into the realms of friendship and reason. This division is significant because, prior to the emergence of Socrates, philosophical inquiry was primarily focused on fundamental questions about the universe and natural principles. However, with Socrates' arrival, the focus shifted to human issues. Consequently, most histories of philosophy categorize the period before Socrates as the era of pre-Socratic or natural philosophy, often using these titles for the first chapter. Following this, they delve into discussions about Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle. Thus far, we have covered this. In any case, these philosophical accounts are not merely simple narratives that compile past facts and various philosophers' views; rather, they classify and analyze themes systematically.

It can be said that it is organized with a focus on tracing the relationships and causal processes of the counterparts. A representative scholar who argued that it should be done in this way is indeed Hegel. Therefore, by studying the history of philosophy, you will come to understand the direct backgrounds from which scholars like Kant or Plato emerged, and you will be able to grasp more comprehensively why they had such themes and consciousness. 

Now, let’s briefly summarize how the flow of Western philosophy has developed, and I will also outline the key points you should consider, especially regarding the criteria for selecting books. As I introduced earlier, in ancient philosophy, there was first the era of natural philosophy, and thereafter, the central stage of philosophy...

As we moved to Athens, the philosophy of humanity that Socrates unfolded emerged. In this process, we encounter the well-known philosophies of Plato and Aristotle. For reference, the philosophies of these two figures established fundamental frameworks in logic, epistemology, ethics, political philosophy, and, above all, metaphysics, which underscores their immense importance. Therefore, it can be said that their philosophies have directly or indirectly influenced the entire content of Western thought as it unfolds. This is particularly noteworthy. Thus, when we study the history of Western philosophy, we must check how well this part—specifically, the philosophy of Plato—is presented. If this part is treated lightly or inadequately, then that book should never be chosen. So, if you have not properly understood Plato's thought here,

If we move on to the next topic, it won't last long and will collapse. This is because we see the emergence of European judges and the influence of medieval philosophy, where the thoughts of the Church Fathers emerge significantly. In modern philosophy, Plato's theory of forms appears in the dualistic form of essence and existence, continuing to manifest. Therefore, if we do not properly organize his philosophy here and move forward, it will ultimately make it impossible to understand the overall picture. So please pay attention to this point. 

After this period, this region became a political and military hub, receiving benefits, and in 146 BC, it fell under Roman rule. As a result, the center of philosophy shifted to Alexandria. Thus, the discussion about the philosophy that emerged around this period begins.

From now on, we will unfold the concept of 2. At this point, it is important to pay attention to what I refer to as my category, which is the cross between skepticism and Neoplatonism. Historically, many authors who have written about the history of Western philosophy have lightly dismissed this aspect as a relative hell, believing it to be of little importance. However, recent philosophers from France, such as Gilles Deleuze, have rediscovered branches of philosophy that contain the essence of this era. Therefore, there has been a growing tendency to treat the contents of this period as significant. It would be reasonable to say that it is worth examining a history of philosophy that reflects this character. Now, returning to the main topic, during this period, philosophy emerged amid the collapse of the Greek tradition, the rise of a vast empire, and issues of individual alienation. Philosophy, therefore, featured characteristics focused on the pursuit of individual stability and pleasure.

What we have is a situation where various regional philosophies have emerged with distinct characteristics. In 529 AD, Emperor Justinian closed the famous school of Plato, the Academy. The reason for this closure was that the teachings there were contrary to the recorded Christian doctrines and were considered pagan beliefs. Therefore, this closure is seen as a turning point in the history of Western thought. Most histories of Western philosophy base their accounts on this event, marking the end of ancient philosophy and the beginning of medieval philosophy.

Now, regarding the Academy we just discussed, what was the reasoning behind its closure? Yes, it was primarily because it taught content that contradicted Christian teachings. This closure signifies that society had officially transitioned to a Christian one, and from there, history began to focus on theology.

As it unfolds, this philosophy centered on God primarily stems from the understanding of the fall of the Western Roman Empire, spanning a period of about a thousand years from 1453, the year the Eastern Roman Empire fell, or from 1517, when the Reformation began. Therefore, the major theme that developed over this long period was theology, and there is even a saying that philosophy during this time was merely a handmaiden to theology. However, this assertion is somewhat excessive and distorted. If we closely examine this era, we can see that philosophy also developed in a very distinctive and multifaceted way. Moreover, understanding philosophy from this period is crucial for a deeper comprehension of modern philosophy. Therefore, you should exclude any books related to the history of Western philosophy that treat it lightly or merely as theology, as I just mentioned.

Finding books that analyze and provide insights is one of the important aspects of selecting historical materials, and you must be aware of this. In any case, a representative figure we should pay attention to during the Middle Ages is Augustine, along with the renowned Thomas Aquinas. First, Augustine was a great thinker of the early church who integrated Platonic thought to systematize Christian faith. Next, Thomas Aquinas built upon Aristotelian philosophy to further refine and complete religious doctrine. In any case, this medieval philosophy began to lose its prominence as the power of the Pope, the highest authority in the Western Church, weakened, coinciding with the advancement of science and a resurgence of human-centered culture from ancient Greece.

As we experience a new era, namely modernity, we also come to acquire new texts. Consequently, in the history of Western philosophy, certain books have been published that provide a brief summary of these subjects, and they immediately transition into explanations of modern philosophy. However, in reality, there should be an explanation related to medieval philosophy and the influences of Islamic culture and its impact on this area. Additionally, there should be some introduction to Italian philosophy. Only then can we properly understand the process and characteristics of the transition from medieval to modern philosophy. If we study with books that skip these explanations and jump straight into modernity, what problems might arise? The philosophy of modern times is characterized by a human being who has detached from the influence of God, meaning a human as an independent being, and how can we understand this world without divine assistance?

A significant characteristic is that he began to unfold epistemological inquiries while focusing on the question of existence. Descartes did not pray to God to find out whether the existence of I is real or if he is merely under the illusion of existence. Instead, he questioned how he could be certain that he truly exists, considering that if the thinking I were not here, such doubt would be impossible. Thus, he established that the act of thinking proves his existence. By doing so, he articulated philosophy without relying on external authorities, earning him the title of the father of modern philosophy. However, why could he not deny such a premise? He divided substances into three categories: the infinite substance, which is God, and the finite substances, which are mind and matter.

Therefore, if you look closely at his in-laws, you can still confirm that God is firmly established. Similarly, a representative figure of modern philosophy, RF Image, also goes to the transformation theory and argues the Shinomiya debate. However, the question arises: if we are in an age of humanity that has moved away from God, what are these individuals doing here? This issue becomes apparent. If you experience this confusion, it is likely due to insufficient study of medieval philosophy. As I mentioned earlier, after studying the consciousness of medieval thought, we need to understand how this has influenced modern philosophy and how it has been researched. However, if you study a simplified version of Western philosophy that omits this process, it may seem beneficial at first because the content is brief, but problems will arise later. Why is it that we keep returning to the topic of God during this period?

이것이 또 나고 치하면서 정리를 못한다는 거죠. 아, 참고로 여러분들이 아셔야 되는 게 고대가 끝나고 중세가 시작되었다, 중세가 끝나고 근대가 시작되었다는 것입니다. 그러니까 어제까지 중세, 오늘부터 근대, 뭐 이런 식으로 해석할 수 있습니다. 시점은 이번 상징적인 표현이 G2 자체를 그대로 받아들여서는 안 된다는 거죠. 이런 부분들을 잘 해서 사람들이 보셔야 한다는 겁니다. 자, 다시 흐름 정리에 대한 대응으로 들어가면, 근대식 철학은 크게 대륙의 이성론과 영국의 경험론으로 나뉩니다. 왜냐하면 이 둘은 관심 주제는 같지만 연구 방법론이 서로 많이 달랐기 때문입니다. 영국 경험론에 속하는 학자들은 대부분이 귀납적 추론을 통해 알기 위해 직접 사례들을 세부적으로 하나씩 검토하고, 그 검토된 결과값들을 모아서 하나의 결론을 도출하는 방식으로 연구를 했다는 것입니다. 대륙의 학자들은 연역...

The inference means that research was conducted in a way that tries to establish rules based on a single central idea through various cases. This highlights a difference. Therefore, you should understand the reason for the distinction between continental rationalism and British empiricism. However, one thing to note is that Spinoza's philosophy is quite unique. What this means is that while he can be classified as part of continental rationalism due to his use of deductive reasoning, his content is rather unconventional. In other words, he deviates from modern thought. Thus, even though he can be grouped with figures like Descartes, his philosophy is distinctly different, especially in his perspective on God, which is radically different. As a result, today, many view his philosophy as postmodern.

So, first of all, within the category of modern philosophy, we should study Spinoza, but later we need to organize it separately with postmodern elements in mind. Just be aware of this point; if we organize the contents of modern philosophy carefully, we can avoid significant confusion later on. However, keep this in mind. 

Next, these two types of philosophy converge in the realm of the Copernican revolution. What does this mean? As is well known, Kant has incubated these two philosophies. Thus, Kant's philosophy is often likened to a vast lake into which great rivers flow. This Kantian philosophy changes the direction of Western philosophy, which is precisely what is referred to as the Copernican revolution. In the past, it was believed that the sun revolved around the Earth, but Copernicus proposed the opposite: that the Earth revolves around the sun.

It has been revealed that, similarly to before Kant, philosophers believed that humans received a lot of information from the world, which they could then understand. However, for Kant, it was the opposite: he argued that humans construct their understanding of the world based on the framework of their cognitive abilities. This philosophical stance of Kant completely changed the existing direction of thought and is often compared to the revolutionary ideas of Copernicus, hence referred to as the Copernican revolution in philosophy. As a result, the center stage of Western philosophy shifted to Germany, where the history of German idealism developed. This is part of the philosophical transition process, and we need to organize the philosophical flow leading to the resolution of this issue. Today, there is a figure who, although not very popular, was called the completer of philosophy and had a significant influence.

There is a solution. Therefore, we need to grasp the overall flow of modern philosophy by covering discussions about his absolute spirit. The biggest concern of this era was ultimately the question of how humans can know the world. We must remember to first examine the foundational issues and then look into the theories of solutions. Furthermore, you should be aware that your comprehension may suddenly become difficult due to German idealism. Given the characteristics of German philosophy, summarizing is not easy, and the volume of philosophical works is truly vast. Additionally, the use of conceptual vocabulary differs significantly from French philosophy, which often leads to incorrect translations. There are many cases where fundamental content becomes a significant obstacle due to these misunderstandings. Therefore, if you find this part challenging...

After confirming the general atmosphere, I recommend that you study Kant's solutions later, as there are recent domestic materials available. This can actually be a shortcut for you. As for the EU, it refers to the philosophy of Germany after Hegel. Today, we also see a lot of popularity for figures like Schopenhauer and the likes of Nietzsche being introduced, as well as Neo-Kantianism and French structuralism, along with British utilitarianism. It is common to introduce these topics before moving on to modern philosophy.

In modern philosophy, which features thinkers from the early 20th century, a notable characteristic is the abandonment of traditional views. We typically introduce figures like the Vienna Circle, American pragmatists, and trends in analytical philosophy, along with German phenomenology and existentialism, including figures like Heidegger and Wittgenstein. However, here, you should...

What you need to know is that in the entire history of philosophy, modern philosophy is, in fact, the least significant. This does not mean that much of modern philosophy is unimportant. The study of the history of philosophy focuses on examining the thoughts of philosophers within their historical context, identifying their positions, and understanding their relationships with various ideas. Therefore, modern philosophy will be better positioned in the future. So, trying to understand modern philosophy using the currently available history of philosophy books is not appropriate. At least, if we grasp the flow and characteristics of ideas up until the early 20th century, that should be sufficient for understanding philosophy. This means that the most recent philosophers and figures are not adequately represented in the history of philosophy.

In 2000, the academic situation has been quite unusual, and it is said that we should not approach it in this manner. It is most desirable to study modern philosophy using primary texts separately. Today, I have shared some characteristics of the history of philosophy and methods of studying, as well as criteria for selecting books. I hope you will organize what you have learned today and use it as a reference when studying the philosophy of the condemned in the future. In the next session, as previously announced, I will analyze the main texts available under the title of Western Philosophy. I hope you look forward to that. Thank you.

서양철학사 입문 : 특징 및 흐름 정리와 도서 선택의 기준 소개(feat. 피해야 할 책과 선택해야 할 책)

🔔[지혜의 빛 : 인문학의 숲]

Philosophy는 "지혜를 사랑한다."는
뜻을  가지고 있습니다.  
그리고 이 어휘에  대한 동아시아의  
번역어는 "철학(哲學)"인데,  여기서
'철(哲)'은 기본적으로  '밝음'을 뜻함
과  동시에   '지혜로움'을   뜻하기도
합니다. 따라서 우리 채널 이름은 지
혜로  세상을  밝게  한다는  의미의  
“지혜의 빛"이며, 이와 관련된 인문 
콘텐츠들로 인문학의 숲을 이루고
자 합니다. 이러한 우리 채널에 대
해 많은 관심 부탁드릴게요.🖋

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                        "Super Thanks"
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