"I came - out of nowhere,
I was - God knows whom,
I go - somewhere,
I'm going to die - at some point,
I'm surprised that I'm happy ".
(Martinus from Biberach,
medieva
Facing the reality of his life, people adl figures).
1. Men askI was - God knows whom,
I go - somewhere,
I'm going to die - at some point,
I'm surprised that I'm happy ".
(Martinus from Biberach,
medieva
Facing the reality of his life, people adl figures).
mire what he saw, people in doubt whether he was not
deceived by the five-senses, and understood its limitations. In that situation many are turning
to religion:
"People expect from the various religions answers to the hidden secret about the state of
human life. Same as before, even now the secret is deeply disturbing human heart: what is the
meaning and purpose of our lives, what good is what sin is, what is the origin and what the
purpose of suffering, which seems way to achieve true happiness, what death is, what the
court and reward after death, what was finally the last and the inexpressible mystery, that
surrounds our existence, from which we came and to him we headed? "- Our Time (No.1),
the Declaration of the Second Vatican Council the Catholic Church about the attitude towards
religions non-Christian, 1965.
One of the reflections on it, which depart from the faith-filled attitude of taqwa to God, found
in Psalm 8:
"O Lord, our God, how majestic is thy name in all the earth!
Your glory above the heavens is chanted.
The mouth of infants and children who suckle speak to Thee, silencing the enemy and
opponent.
When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and stars which thou hast
ordained;
what is man that thou art mindful of him?
Who was it that You visit him? - For thou hast made him little less than God, and has
crowned him with glory and honor.
You made him rule over your hand-made; everything has Kauletakkan under his feet:
flocks and herds and gentlemen,
also the beasts of the field;
birds of the air and the fish in the sea,
and what is crossing the ocean currents.
O Lord, our God, how glorious thy name in all the earth! "
2. Human philosophizing
But it has been since the beginning of history was full of pious attitude of faith that does not
withstand human use of reason and fikirannya to find out what exactly is behind all reality
(reality) it. The process is finding out that generate consciousness, which is called knowledge.
If the process has the characteristics of methodical, systematic and coherent, and how to get it
accountable, it gives birth to science.
Science is the knowledge that (1) structured methodical, systematic and coherent
("concerned") about a certain field of reality (reality), and (2) can be used to explain certain
phenomena in the field (knowledge) is.
The more science to explore and pursue things that are special from reality (reality), the more
obvious demands to find out about the whole of reality (reality).
Philosophy is the knowledge methodical, systematic and coherent about the whole of reality
(reality). Philosophy is the rational reflection (fikir) over the whole of reality to achieve the
essence (= truth) and gain wisdom (= wisdom).
Al-Kindi (801-873 AD): "Human activities are the highest rise is the philosophy which is the
true knowledge about the nature of everything that exists as far as possible for human beings
... The philosophy of the most noble is the first philosophy, the knowledge of truth which is
the first cause of all truth ".
Element of "rational" (the use of reason) in this activity is a necessary condition, in an effort
to study and disclose "fundamentally" human odyssey in his world toward the hereafter.
Called "basically" because the effort was aimed towards the formulation of the first causes or
final causes, or even the deepest causes of the object being studied ("material objects"), the
"man in the world in the wandering toward the hereafter ". That scientia rerum per causas
Ultimas - knowledge about matters of causality based on the most deeply.
Karl Popper (1902 -?) Wrote "all men are philosophers, because all have one attitude toward
life and death. Some say that life is without price, because life will end. They do not realize
that the reverse argument can also be argued , namely that if life will not end, then life is
without price, that danger is always present which makes us able to lose the lives of at-kuran
gnya come help us to realize the value of life ". Given philosophize is to think about life, and
"think" = "to think" (Great Britain) = "denken" (Germany), then - according to Heidegger
(1889-1976), the "thinking" is actually our "thank you" = "to thank "(Great Britain) ="
danken "(Germany) to the Giver of life for all the gift of life given to us.
It is also interesting to note that the word "wisdom" Inggerisnya language is "wisdom", the
root of the word "wise" or "Wissen" (German) which means to know. In the language of
Norway's "viten", which has the same root with the Sanskrit word "vidya" which
Indonesianized become "widya". The word is close to the word "widi" in "Hyang Widi" =
God. The word "vidya" too close to the Greek word "idea", which was first posed by Socrates
/ Plato and extracted continuously by philosophers throughout the ages.
According to Aristotle (384-322 BC), thought we passed the three types of abstraction
(abstrahere = distance themselves from, take from). Each type of abstraction gave birth to a
kind of science in building knowledge at that time called the philosophy:
The first abstraction level - physics. We started thinking that we observe. In thinking, reason
and the reason we "escape" from the observation of certain aspects of the senses, that is
"material that can be felt" ("hyle aistete"). Of the things the particular and concrete, drawn
from it things that are common: that the process of abstraction from individual characteristics.
Human reason, with material that is "abstract", it menghasilan science called "physics"
("physos" = natural).
The second level of abstraction - matesis. In the process of further abstraction, we can break
away from visible matter. That happens when the mind detaches from the material that can be
understood only in terms ("hyle noete"). Knowledge generated by this type of abstraction of
all the properties of this material called "matesis" ("math" - mathesis = knowledge, science).
Third abstraction level - of theology or "first philosophy". We can either "abstrahere" of all
matter and think about the whole reality, about the origin and destination, of the principle of
its formation, and so on. Level physics and mathematics cedar clear we have left. Thoughts
on this cedar produces knowledge that Aristotle called theology, or "first philosophy".
However, because science is "coming after" physics, then in the tradition hereinafter referred
to as metaphysics.
In short, philosophy includes "everything". Philosophy comes before and after science; called
"before" because of all the special science began as a part of philosophy and so-called "after"
as a special science inevitably face questions about the limits of the specialty.
3. Human theology
Theology is the: knowledge methodical, systematic and coherent about the whole of reality
based on faith. Simply put, faith can be defined as an attitude of human beings before God,
the absolute and the sacred, which is recognized as the source of all life in the universe. Faith
exists in a person, among others, through education (eg by parents), but may also through its
own efforts, for example, carefully contemplating his life in the presence of the giver's life. In
this case understood as the reality of God's most amazing and thrilling. Surely the last in the
sense it is a philosophical theology as well.
Faith is a mental attitude. One's faith manifested in attitudes, behaviors and actions, against
each other and to the environment. If the same faith (whatever the meaning of the word
"equal" it) is on and is owned by a number or group of people, then what happens is the
process of institutionalization. Institutionalizing it as either (1) the procedure how the group
wanted to express his faith in prayer and worship, (2) tatanilai and rules that serve as
guidelines for the appreciation and practice of faith in daily activities, and (3) the order of
teaching or the content of faith to be communicated (broadcast) and preserved. If
institutionalization is the case, religion was born. Because of that religion is a social
manifestation of faith.
Note.
(1) The process is called the institutionalization of business that are methodical, systematic
and coherent over the fact that the form of awareness of the presence of the reality of coping
with life. In this context the word would make sense ("'aql") and the word of science ("' ilm ')
has been used in the text of the Qur'an. The closeness of the word 'ilm with the adjective' alim
said the cleric would also be understandable. Check also books Yusuf Qaradawi, "The Koran
speaks of reason and science", Gema Insani Press, 1998. But it also must be said, that the
word "science" in a general sense today although a similar but still not the same as the
meaning of the word "science" in the text and context of the Qur'an.
(2) The process of religious formation as disclosed herein deserves to be called the approach
"from below". The initiative seemed to come from humans, who want to discover the essence
of his life in this world is associated with the source of life and living. Humans pursue and
organize his life according to the invention. Approach "from above" on the real divine
religions: God took the initiative revealed His will to man, and therefore faith is a human
response of "greeting" God is.
As a science, theology reflects the relationship of God and man. Human theology because I
wanted to understand his faith in a better way, and to account for it: "I know whom I have
believed" (2 Timothy 1:12). Theology is not religion and not the same as the Doctrine of
Religion. In theology, the element of "intellectus quaerens fidem" (reason to investigate the
content of faith) are expected to contribute substantially to the integration of reason and faith,
science and IMTAQ, which in turn is very beneficial to human life today.
4. Material object and the object of formal
Philosophy has a material object and a formal object. Material object is what is learned and
peeled as a material (matter) conversation, that symptoms of "man in the world to wander
toward the hereafter." The symptoms are clearly there are three things stand out, the man, the
world and the hereafter. Then there is the philosophy of man (anthropology), philosophy of
nature (cosmology), and the philosophy of the afterlife (theology - philosophy of divinity; the
word "hereafter" in the context of the life of faith can easily be replaced with the word of
God). Anthropology, cosmology and theology, though seem separate, inter-related as well,
because it talks about that one certainly can not be separated from the others. Also talks about
the philosophy of the afterlife or God only so far known to man in his world.
Formal object is the approach used for material objects, such a characteristic that characterize
or specialized field of activity concerned. If the approach is logical, consistent and efficient,
then the system dihasilkanlah philosophy.
Philosophy depart from concrete human experience in his world. Human experience that
really is rich with everything that is implied to be stated expressly. In the process of intuition
(a thing which exists in every experience) becomes the basis for the process of abstraction, so
that is implied can be explicitly expressed.
In philosophy, there is a philosophy of knowledge. "Every human being wants to know", was
the first sentence of Aristotle in Metaphysica. Material objects is a symptom of "people
know". The task of philosophy is the highlight of symptoms was based on the first causality.
Philosophy digging "the truth" (versus "false"), "certainty" (versus "uncertainty"),
"objectivity" (versus "subjectivity"), an "abstract", "intuition", where the knowledge and
where the direction of knowledge. In turn the symptoms sciences knowledge into material
objects as well, and thinking activities that (so far carried out according to the first causal)
results in philosophy of science. Specificity symptom knowledge of science against
symptoms examined carefully. Specificity lies in the way of work or methods contained in
the sciences.
5. Branches of philosophy
5.1. Even though asking about the whole reality, the philosophy is always "philosophy of"
something: about people, about nature, about the afterlife, about culture, art, language, law,
religion, history, ... All four fields are always returned to the parent:
1. philosophy of knowledge:
material objects: knowledge ("episteme") and truth
epistemology;
logic;
criticism of the sciences;
2. philosophy about the whole reality:
material objects: the existence (existence) and essence (substance)
General metaphysics (ontology);
special metaphysics:
anthropology (on humans);
cosmology (the universe);
theodicy (the god);
3. philosophy about the values contained in an action:
material objects: the goodness and beauty
ethics;
aesthetics;
4. history of philosophy.
5.2. Several explanations are given here specifically about the philosophy of knowledge. IN
QUESTION: What is knowledge? Where is he from? Is there certainty in knowledge, or all
just a mere hypothesis or conjecture?
Questions about the possibilities of knowledge, the limits of knowledge, origin and types of
knowledge discussed in epistemology. Logic ("logikos") "associated with" knowledge,
"related to language". Here the language is understood as the way knowledge is
communicated and expressed. So the logic is a branch of philosophy that investigates the
health way of thinking and rules that must be respected so that legitimate claims are.
There are a lot of science, there are trees sciences, namely the one about how science relates
to other sciences. Called a tree because there must have understood the mother (the root) of
all sciences. Critics questioned the science theories in dividing sciences, the methods in the
sciences, the basis of certainty and the type of information given.
5.3. According to the approach, known in philosophy there are many schools of philosophy:
existentialism, phenomenology, nihilism, materialism, ... and sebaginya.
5.4. There must be a philosophy of religion, philosophical thinking (critical, analytical,
rational) about religious phenomena: the essence of religion as a form of human religious
experience, the nature of man's relationship with the Holy One (numen): presence of transempirical
reality, which so affect and determine , but at the same time to form and become
the basis of human behavior. The Holy understood as Mysterium tremendum et Fascinosum;
people only believe in Him, that can be observed (by an observer) in the behavior of a full
life with an attitude of "fear-and-god-fearing", wedi-lan-ing Panjenengane compassion.
So, then there is no philosophy of religion X; that there is a philosophy in religion X, namely
rational thinking towards the establishment of infrastructure for the teaching of religion X.
The relationship between philosophy to religion X can be likened to the relationship between
the pilgrims who boarded the vehicle to go on the pilgrimage to the Holy Land, and not the
relationship between the pilgrims with a faith that is inside the assembly.
Another note.
1. Faith can be described similar to an iceberg in the ocean. That seems only about one-tenth
only of the whole. Because faith is the mood, then it shall apply the proverb: "the sea can be
expected, in the heart who knows". Do you know my faith will level?
2. It also needs to be asked "where is the location of the heart is meant here? It must have
been" heart "it (eg the word" hurt "if a girl be disappointed by the young man who became
her boyfriend) is not the liver (and the word" hurt "because of your liver swell) that is
maintained by the doctors at the hospital. Check out also what is implied in the word "mind",
"heart", "be careful", "heart of hearts", "crush", "conscience", and "sound heart ".
3. According to Paul A Samuelson tyranny of words is a common phenomenon in society.
Often there are many words used to convey the same meaning and there are also many related
meanings in one word. Humans are challenged to think and speak clearly and-separated
("Cleary and distinctly"), at least to avoid miscommunication and uphold the truth. That's the
advice of Rene Descartes. Even a person's maturity in dealing with problems (including
problems in his life) is closely connected with the ability to think and speak clearly andseparated
them.
6. Rational reflection and pious reflection
When the Greeks began to create a reflection on the problems now a material object in
philosophy and even when the results of reflection was recorded in the manuscript that is now
a classic, the nation of Israel has had a number of manuscripts (now known as part of the
Bible called the Old Testament). The manuscripts were essentially the result of reflection,
too, by the father of the nation about the fate and fortune of Israel - how in the course of
history as the "chosen people", they were really led (even often strongly rebuked and
punished) by YHWH ( read: Yahweh), their God. Close ties to tradition and worship have
made the texts of Scripture that their religion (Judaism). In turn, the Scriptures that was in a
unique position in the Christian Religion.
Note.
The people of Israel (and Israel in the Bible) as stipulated above should not be understood as
the nation of Israel that now exists in the geographical area now called the "state of Israel".
The second reflection is different in many ways. Reflections on the Greek figures (eg Plato
and Aristotle) rely on a spark of reason and rejection of mythology (which describes the
schools of the world as always ruled by the gods and goddesses). Conversely, a reflection of
the Patriarchs of Israel (eg, Moses is generally accepted as the first author of five books of the
Old Testament) is sustained by the heart as it is a spontaneous outburst of acceptance of
Israel's role in the overall fate of the YHWH and the nation's history. Pious reflection it really
is a sincere statement of universal recognition, perhaps the first in the history of humanity,
will live and omnipotence of God in human history.
Now there is an opinion that the results of rational reflection of the Greek figures, it
assimilated the traditions of the monotheistic religious life of reflection, turns out to be seeds
for the birth of the sciences which is known today. It is therefore often said to overcome any
philosophy of science.
Meanwhile, it should be noted that in the cultural environment of India and China is also
developing other nuanced reflection: the face of Asia. Reflection is real in the fruit of
knowledge accumulated (eg in the form of "alternative medicine" needling), and in literary
works "caliber" of the Indian subcontinent. Literary works were often treated as a holy book,
or revered as Scripture, since accepted as a book full of things that are sacred worth as a
guidance for everyday life.
For example, the Bhagavadgita (BC 4th century AD). Bhagawadgita (or Gita) removed from
the epic Mahabharata, from the secondary position (part of a story) to the primary position
(the source of inspiration for life). In the eighth century AD, Sankara (a teacher) instead of
interpreting the Gita as a guide for action, but as a guideline for "mokhsa", the liberation from
attachment to this world. Ramanuja (12th century AD) saw it as a source of devotion for
God's mercy that can only be lived through love. During the struggle for independence
sometime in the 40s, Gita viewed as a guideline for the air-"yuddha dharma", the war
vigorously uphold the truth against an unjust occupation. For Tilak, Arjuna was "a man of
action" ("karma yogin"), and Gita encourage someone to act so that he became "mokhsa"
through "the struggle" which he passes. Aurobindo, Mahatma Gandhi, Bhave,
Radhakrishnan, and other figures made comments about the same. Without interpretation
Tilak, for example, turbulence in India at that time easily judged as a pure political nature (or
purely criminal?), Ie without an ideal, spiritual, theological and ethical.
Indeed, reflection is a hallmark of human beings as individuals and in groups. Reflection is a
means to develop the spirituality and the actualization of a human, mature and independent.
Through reflection Similarly, humans and human groups (ie ethnic and national) finds
himself, realizing his place in the dimensions of space and time (in history), as well as fulfill
his vocation to make history for the future.
Note.
Is there a typical reflection of the reality of Indonesia? A study based on literature texts
contained in the Javanese past PJ Zoetmulter SJ doctoral dissertation: "Manunggaling kawula
Gusti" (1935), which has been translated by Dick Hartoko SJ and published by PT Gramedia.
