Back to the Future a New Philosophy of Man or Philosophical Anthropology

Document Type : Research Paper

Author

Researcher, Anthroopos Foundation, Amsterdam, International Member of the Dutch Research School of Philosophy (OZSW), Faculty of Philosophy, University of Leiden, Netherlands (2020-2024).

10.22034/jpiut.2025.21166

Abstract

The biggest hurdle in 2500 years of philosophy has always been man himself – more specifically, the contents of his cranium, which a great many words have been used to describe. Existentialism and the Phenomenology of Perception (Merleau-Ponty) managed for the first time in the history of mankind to focus philosophy a bit more closely on ourselves. It took us until the end of the 20th century to come to the understanding that “we are our brain” (Dick Swaab) and that “we need to shift our focus from the mind to our brain” (Victor Lamme). What we then see is 100 billion brain cells, all “chattering with each other” (Victor Lamme), leading us to an initial insight into our history and evolution and our essential characteristics. We discover that our focus is now on processes in the brain, which I have chosen to call ‘experience’ or ‘the process of experience’. The neurological discoveries of the 20th century have not yet resulted in changes to our terminology; we still make use of outdated terms in talking about the new situation.I have given philosophical anthropology a new concrete substance on the basis of the definition of American philosopher and member of the American Philosophical Association Jim Dagenais: “a consistent overall vision of man and his world”, so that it can serve as the basis for philosophy and thus as the foundation for human life.The meaning of basic concepts is completely re-examined. Following developments in the 20th century, traditional definitions no longer serve our purpose; we must rigorously adapt our language to these developments so that it once again meets the basic requirements for communication. Then it allows us to describe a contemporary philosophy of human beings and to find answers to today’s questions and issues.

Keywords

References

Achterhuis, H. J. (2008). Met alle geweld, Een filosofische zoektocht.
Bakker, R. (1981). Wijsgerige Antropologie van de Twintigste Eeuw, Terreinverkenningen in de Filosofie.
Bakker, R. (1982). Wijsgerige antropologie van de twintigste eeuw, 1982, 3; Cf. J. van Praag, Levensovertuiging, filosofie en wetenschap, 1979 and R. Bakker, Noodzakelijke samenwerking, Merleau-Ponty’s bijdrage tot het gesprek tussen filosofie en wetenschap, Groningen, 1965.
Bakker, R. (1984). Studia in honorem Reinout Bakker, presented by the Centrale Interfaculteit Rijksuniversiteit Groningen, ed. B. Delfgaauw, H. Hubbeling , W. Smith.
Bakker, R. (1987). Filosofie en wetenschap (Reprint of Bakker’s inaugural speech and his farewell lecture, published and with an introduction by B. Delfgaauw).
Barendregt, H. P. (2007). Modellen van het Bewustzijn, NRC. next of 6 February. www.nrcnext.nl
Buytendijk, F. J. J. (1965). Prolegomena van een Antropologische Fysiologie.
Cheung, C. F. (2001).  Human Nature and Human Existence – On the Problem of the Distinction Between Man and Animal, pp. 365-383.
Dagenais, J. J. (1972). Models of Man, A Phenomenological Critique of Some Paradigms in the Human Sciences.
Dassen, J. L. M. (2023) A new philosophy of man & humanism, basic principles.
Dassen, J. L. M. (2024). Spring is in the Air: A new philosophy of love, Journal of Philosophical Investigations, 18(48),95-116. https://doi.org/10.22034/jpiut.2024.18421
Gasenbeek, B. C. S. (2006). Een huis voor humanisten: het Humanistisch Verbond (1946-2006) (www.human.nl)
Lamme, V. A. F. (2007). on “the neurobiological foundation of consciousness” in NRC Handelsblad of 16 October 2007 (www.nrc.nl), interview by Marion de Boo [Bewust heen en weer praten].
Philipse, H. (2007). Atheïstisch manifest en de onredelijkheid van religie, Met een voorwoord van Ayaan Hirsi Ali.
Roessler, B. (2005). Humanisme en Religie, Tijdschrift voor Humanistiek, Vol. 6, No. 24, December 2005. www.human.nl
Russell, B. (1970). Encyclopedie van de Filosofie, ibid. note 6: “Methodological and epistemological standpoints”, pp. 452-453.
Ten Kate, L. (2007). Encyclopedie van de Filosofie, Van de Oudheid tot vandaag, pp. 249-250.
Van Praag, J. P. (1965). Wat is humanistiek? Rede, uitgesproken bij de aanvaarding van het ambt van bijzonder hoogleraar vanwege de humanistische Stichting Socrates in de humanistiek en de antropologie van het humanisme bij de Rijksuniversiteit Leiden, 21 mei 1965 [Inaugural speech, 21 May 1965]. www.human.nl
Van Praag, J. P. (1979). Levensovertuiging, filosofie en wetenschap, Farewell lecture at Leiden University, 13 November 1979. www.human.nl
Send comment about this article
CAPTCHA Image
Journal of Philosophical Investigations
Volume 19, Issue 53 - Serial Number 53
Articles
Issue 53, Winter 2026
December 2025
Pages 755-766

Files

Share

How to cite

Statistics