Publication: Aydınlanma felsefesinde din anlayışı
Abstract
XVIII.yy. felsefesine Aydınlanma Felsefesi, bu felsefenin içinde yer aldığı tarih dönemine Aydınlanma çağı adı verilir. Burada aydınlanmak isteyen insanın kendisi, aydınlatılması istenen şey de, insan hayatının anlam ve düzenidir. Bu tipik bir tarihi fenomendir: insanlık tarihinde bir zaman gelip de hayatın düzenini ayarlamış olan değerler, formlar canlılıklarını yitirince, yeni bir düzene kılavuzluk edecek düşünceler aranır. İşte Yeniçağın Aydınlanmasıda bu çeşitten bir arama ve bulmadır. Aydınlanmayı başlatan soru ilk olarak XVIII.yy.'da ortaya konmamıştır. Daha Ortaçağın çözülmeye başlaması ile, Renaissance ile bu soru ortaya konmuş, insanın varlığının anlamı ve bu dünya içindeki yeri bir problem olmuştur. Ancak, XVIII.yy.'da bu problem en geniş ölçüde ele alınmış, probleme verilen cevapların, bu cevaplara temel olan düşüncelerin -gerek o zaman, gerekse daha sonra bugüne kadar- Batı dünyasının kültür yapısı üzerinde çok kesin etkileri olmuştur. Nitekim bu yüzyılın sonlarına doğru gerçekleşen Fransız İhtilali ve yine Tanzimat'tan beri bizim de geçirdiğimiz değişmelerde Aydınlanma düşüncelerinin büyük bir payı vardır. Aydınlanma; insanın düşünme ve değerlemede din ve geleneklere bağlı kalmaktan kurtulup kendi aklı, kendi görgüleri ile hayatını aydınlatmağa girişmesidir. Bu, eleştirel aklın öncülüğünde felsefede olduğu gibi toplumsal hayatın çeşitli bölümlerinde bir tür sekülarizasyon yaşanması sonucunu doğurmuştur. Bu sonucu belirleyen başat temalardan biri de din, özellikle Hristiyanlık eleştirisidir. Kurumsal din, Aydınlanmanın, bireysel ve toplumsal hürriyetin, bilimin, ilerlemenin ve eşitliğin önündeki en büyük engeli oluşturmuktadır. Aydınlanmanın dinle olan gerilimli ilişkisi, dinin aşılması yönünde değil, ancak yeni bir inanç ve giderek de bir din anlayışının ortaya atılmasıyla sonuçlanmıştır. Bu sonuç ise, evrene, tabiata ve topluma ilişkin sorunlara verilen geleneksel dini karşılıkların yerini, dinin dışında geliştirilen karşılıkların - akıl ve bilim- alması olmuştur.
ABSTARCT The philosophy of the 18th century is called the Enlightenment Philosophy; and in the history, the period of time when this philosophic movement occurred is called the Age of Enlightenment. The one who wishes to get enlightened here is man himself and the thing that is wished to be enlightened is the meaning and order of man's life. This is a typical historical phenomenon: In the history of mankind, the times when the values and forms that set the order in life lose their liveliness are the times when some thoughts that will guide to a new order are searched for. Similarly, the Enlightenment of the New Age, too, was this type of a search and find. As a matter of fact, it was not the 18th century when the question that ignited the Enlightenment was asked the first time. With the decline of Middle Age, with Renaissance, this question had come to be asked; and thus, the meaning of man's existence and his place in this world had started to constitute a problem. However, this problem was held largely in 18th century; and the answers given to the problem and the thoughts underlying those answers had very sharp effects on the cultural structure of Western world not only back then but also in the following ages until today. Indeed, the thoughts of the Enlightenment played a great role in the changes we have had since Tanzimat, as much as they did in the French Revolution, which occurred towards the end of that century. The Enlightenment was man's attempt to enlighten his life by his reason with empirical ways; freeing himself from his bonds to religion and tradition in thinking and evaluation. This, with the lead of criticizing reason, caused a kind of secularization in various sections of social life, just as in philosophy. One of the primary subjects that determined this consequence was religion, especially the criticisms of Christianity. Institutionalized religion constituted the biggest obstacle to individual and social liberty, science, progress and equality. Rather than give up religion, the tense relationship between the Enlightenment and Religion concluded with the development of a new understanding of belief and religion. Consequently, the non-religious - reasoned and scientific - solutions to the problems related to the universe, nature and society took the place of those that were traditional and religious.
ABSTARCT The philosophy of the 18th century is called the Enlightenment Philosophy; and in the history, the period of time when this philosophic movement occurred is called the Age of Enlightenment. The one who wishes to get enlightened here is man himself and the thing that is wished to be enlightened is the meaning and order of man's life. This is a typical historical phenomenon: In the history of mankind, the times when the values and forms that set the order in life lose their liveliness are the times when some thoughts that will guide to a new order are searched for. Similarly, the Enlightenment of the New Age, too, was this type of a search and find. As a matter of fact, it was not the 18th century when the question that ignited the Enlightenment was asked the first time. With the decline of Middle Age, with Renaissance, this question had come to be asked; and thus, the meaning of man's existence and his place in this world had started to constitute a problem. However, this problem was held largely in 18th century; and the answers given to the problem and the thoughts underlying those answers had very sharp effects on the cultural structure of Western world not only back then but also in the following ages until today. Indeed, the thoughts of the Enlightenment played a great role in the changes we have had since Tanzimat, as much as they did in the French Revolution, which occurred towards the end of that century. The Enlightenment was man's attempt to enlighten his life by his reason with empirical ways; freeing himself from his bonds to religion and tradition in thinking and evaluation. This, with the lead of criticizing reason, caused a kind of secularization in various sections of social life, just as in philosophy. One of the primary subjects that determined this consequence was religion, especially the criticisms of Christianity. Institutionalized religion constituted the biggest obstacle to individual and social liberty, science, progress and equality. Rather than give up religion, the tense relationship between the Enlightenment and Religion concluded with the development of a new understanding of belief and religion. Consequently, the non-religious - reasoned and scientific - solutions to the problems related to the universe, nature and society took the place of those that were traditional and religious.