by Douae Doukkali
One must be endowed with a particularly acute auditory sensitivity to be able to appreciate the subtleties of the sound patterns that set the pace of human history. From the ringing of bells, liturgical instruments above all, to the percussive steps of soldiers ready to fire their weapons, human beings have always been surrounded by a religious and warlike acoustic. However, despite this wide range of sound perceptions, nothing is more deafening than the tumult of philosophical quarrels. The battle between idealists and materialists, or more specifically between Socrates and Nietzsche, is arguably the most illustrative example of this intellectual uproar. Indeed, a careful reading of the main works of prominent materialists reveals an exacerbated criticism towards their opponents, to the extent that one cannot help but wonder about the reasons that justify such hostility towards idealism. Thus, the examination of this philosophical movement through a physiological and psychological prism proves necessary to shed light on the factors that make it a highly prejudicial ideology.
First of all, a proper understanding of idealism requires a suitable definition. For instance, idealism is a metaphysical doctrine that “stresses the central role of the ideal or the spiritual in the interpretation of experience” (Robinson et al. 1). In other words, it is a set of beliefs revolving around the condemnation of the body coupled with the celebration of the soul.
However, despite the appeal that this ideology may have on spiritually inclined people, the physiological consequences it entails are extremely damaging. According to idealists, among whom there are significant intellectual figures such as Kant, Hegel, Leibniz, and most importantly, Socrates and his loyal disciple Plato, nothing is as despicable as the flesh. In fact, all that relates to the body and the pleasurable sensations that it can provide deserves to be regarded with great disdain, for they are mere distractions that prevent us from devoting ourselves to the contemplation of pure ideas, essential elements that constitute the essence of the heavenly world. The ascetic man, devoid of all sensuality and earthly desire, is the ultimate ideal of this intellectual movement. For instance, Socrates articulates his view on this matter in a scathing statement: “The body is the grave of the soul” (Jowett and Plato 371). The physiological implications of such a view are dramatic, as the evolution of species, through the process of natural selection, is based entirely on sexual desire along with the various physical sensations it generates. To condemn these sensations is to condemn humanity.
Moreover, the detrimental effects of idealism extend to the field of psychology. In fact, the disregard of the senses, of which sexual abstinence is the most extreme embodiment, leads to utter psychological frustration. Anxiety, emotional breakdown, chronic stress and other mental disorders result from a negative attitude towards one’s urges. Furthermore, the Socratic reasoning in itself is the culmination of a deficient psychological system. One might wonder what kind of strange and overwhelming impulse led Socrates to such morbid ravings; his philosophy is rooted in profound lassitude, the fertile ground on which the seeds of his dense ideology have sprouted. Nietzsche, for whom lassitude is an undeniable symptom of decadence, reminds us of the Athenian’s last words, a vibrant testimony of the psychological illness that haunted him throughout his life: “Living – that means being sick a long time” (Rowe and Plato 296). For Socrates and his followers, life is nothing but a burden to be shed, a long illness of which death is the ultimate deliverance, and the afterlife the glorious completion. Therefore, according to materialists, a firm believer in idealism is simply a shattered conscience that constantly craves the very thing that torments it, which is a typical behavior of the mentally deranged.
According to the information provided above, it is tempting to consider that idealism is a philosophical doctrine that carries within it the seeds of its own destruction, for it rests on the conviction that any concession to instincts leads to chaos. Nevertheless, it is worth noting that these assertions merely reflect the perspective of the materialists, who saw their opponents as a threat to physical and mental well-being. Idealism, like any philosophical theory, exhibits a certain degree of complexity. Indeed, the spiritualist approach holds many potential benefits for individual and collective growth, another relevant topic worthy of further research.
Works Cited
Robinson, Daniel Sommer. “Types of Philosophical Idealism.” Encyclopædia Britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., 1999, https://www.britannica.com/topic/idealism/Types-of-philosophical-idealism.
Jowett, Benjamin, and Plato, “Cratylus.” The Dialogues of Plato, Thoemmes Press, Bristol, England, 1997, p. 371.
Rowe, Christopher J., and Plato, Phaedo, Cambridge Univ. Press, 2001, p. 296.
