This prolegomenon to Dewart’s writings is not an exposé of his philosophical thinking. Rather, I ... more This prolegomenon to Dewart’s writings is not an exposé of his philosophical thinking. Rather, I intend it to be an acknowledgement and introduction to the “spirit of the times” in which he wrote that had a formative and insightful influence on his thinking. With the benefit of hindsight, I maintain that Dewart, in fact, has anticipated a posthuman perspective.
As a new theory in the humanities and social studies, Queer Theory is not limited to matters sexu... more As a new theory in the humanities and social studies, Queer Theory is not limited to matters sexual. Queer theory is a broad understanding which encompasses any understanding that is anti-normativity and anti-fixed identity. It is often discussed as identity politics by contemporary academics, philosophers and social commentators. It it within this overall context of identity politics that I discuss the Metropolitan Community Church. Queer Theory needs an antecedent straight theory from which to fashion its alternative perspective. Thus, the MCC needs a theory of straight Western ecclesiology to fashion its alternative perspective. In this sense I content that queer theory presents itself as a negative philosophy, which has ironically been transformed into a positive philosophy, for the purposes of religious inclusion. These essays explore various aspects of this queer understanding, or identity politics, of religious expression.
The world of Platonic idealism will not be satisfactorily imported into the world of phenomenolog... more The world of Platonic idealism will not be satisfactorily imported into the world of phenomenological consciousness. The task of phenomenological philosophers is to return to the interpretation of experience itself and seek to recast meaning not in terms of theoretical idealism, but in terms of existential meaning. The phenomenological philosopher adopts an alternative attitude to interpretation of inherited philosophical concepts. All interpretation necessarily involves achieving an acceptable balance between objective and subjective poles of interpretation. Phenomenology, as posthuman philosophy, is post human in the chronological sense that it transcends the limitations of both renaissance humanism and modern secular humanism by means of the evolution of human consciousness.
I contend that the modern discipline of Sociology, as understood in the West, has evolved into a ... more I contend that the modern discipline of Sociology, as understood in the West, has evolved into a socio-philosophy from within an existential system of theology. Two systems of philosophy confront one another in the contemporary world, i.e., classical philosophy based on the authority of Hellenistic philosophy and an existential philosophy based on the authority of experience. Each discloses methodologies that are opposed to the other as dogma is opposed to modern science. The problems I discuss here concern humanitarian theology and are investigated through the hybrid notion of socio-philosophy, thus they neither belong to sociology alone nor to philosophy alone.
The purpose of this little book is to view critically the dialectic between two disciplines: phil... more The purpose of this little book is to view critically the dialectic between two disciplines: philosophy and theology. This book presents a point of departure for reflection for the reader. A long tradition of human reflection records the dialectical relationship between philosophy and theology. By reflecting upon human life and experience in the context of a philosophical and theological relationship humanity has learned something of the divine. Those readers looking for an exhaustive treatment of the philosophical and theological disciplines will not find in this book. Those seeking to discount, debunk or replace theology with a secular philosophy will be disappointed. The aim of this book is not to debunk, defend or criticize either discipline. It is to examine the relationship between philosophy and theology and thereby to develop an understanding that gives meaning to human activity.
This book is not a set of introductory essays. It has been written with the more seasoned philoso... more This book is not a set of introductory essays. It has been written with the more seasoned philosopher in mind. I follow Leslie Dewart’s general understanding of consciousness as a means of personal adjustment based upon the unique experience of a human being. He notes that consciousness as “human adjustment differs from the animal kind in that man’s relations to his environment are mediated by a special kind of experience: the sort, as we have seen, that endows him with a sense of selfhood and a sense of reality.” In this book, I contemplate consciousness, or the sense of selfhood and reality, as a philosophical concept, not a psychological one. That is to say that I write each essay from a different perspective of Christian philosophical consciousness. The first essay revolves around certain philosophical insights that have become evident during Vatican II. The second explores some of the thought of Ludwig Feuerbach with respect to the specificity of human consciousness. This continues the philosophical exploration of the Feuerbachian thought. And the fourth examines the French notion of "laïcité," as a positive philosophical concept concerning religious belief as it relates to Gaudium et Spes, the “Pastoral Constitution of the Church in the Modern World.” The fifth essay is an application of the preceding essay which deals with one aspect of "laïcité" abstracted from the notion of secularization current among Western Anglophone philosophers. Each essay pertains to the human existential experience in the 21st Century.
This is a particular work focusing on an aspect of the Catholic Church in Europe, during the late... more This is a particular work focusing on an aspect of the Catholic Church in Europe, during the late 19th and early 20th centuries, concerning the rise of democracy during the so-called Modernist Crisis. I view the Modernist phenomenon as an historical lens through which to understand the politics, often characterized by artful and dishonest practices, between the Church and the State, and through which to evaluate their polity as a form or constitution of political organization of the Church and the State. Chapter One addresses Modernism as an internal ecclesiastical phenomenon, that is, a movement within the Roman Church but not of the Roman Church. Given that internal movement, in Chapter Two I discuss the resistance of the Church’s aristocratic hierarchy to the developing democracy. In Chapter Three I focus on the contemporary period and discuss a philosophical and theological issue related to Modernism, that was ultimately derived from it, but was unknown to the Modernists themselves. That is, the phenomenon of modern French laïcité which has appeared as a development within the Catholic religious experience following upon the evolution of separation of Church and State.
As a new theory in the humanities and social studies, Queer Theory, as a broad theory encompassin... more As a new theory in the humanities and social studies, Queer Theory, as a broad theory encompassing any understanding that is anti-normativity and anti-fixed identity, is often applied to sexual matters. Whereas, others have discussed Queer Theory from the perspective of Identity Politics in sexual matters, I discuss Queer Theory from a phenomenological philosophical perspective. I take into consideration Katherine Johnson's caveat: "identity politics alone will not achieve the necessary impacts that are required to re-imagine the world we live in. Instead they are likely to win particular legislative reforms that regulate subjectivity, and rights that can easily be taken away under new regimes." Sexuality a Psychosocial Manifesto (Polity, 2015). In short, I suggest that Queer Theory needs a new philosophical understanding of the person, prior to a legal one, that will assist in re-imagining the world we live in.
After a general philosophical introduction that outlines my current thinking, I advance the premi... more After a general philosophical introduction that outlines my current thinking, I advance the premise that the inverse of traditional Western philosophical understanding, that is, that the concept of divinity as uniquely created through human culture denotes the specific unique status of humanity, and is sustainable in light of contemporary phenomenological philosophy. Readers expecting a conventional treatment of divinity will be disappointed. I present an unconventional philosophical perspective which may cause many readers to reevaluate philosophically the role of a divine presence in the affairs of humanity.
Obviously, in this short book, only an introductory and partial answer can be given to such a bro... more Obviously, in this short book, only an introductory and partial answer can be given to such a broad question that distinguishes between religious (philosophical) and secular (political) values. In appreciating this question, a general knowledge of the contemporary interpretation of history and a current understanding of the process of evolution will be of great benefit to the reader. Since I do not detail the historical origins of the principles of Western philosophy, nor outline any specifics in the development of the concept of evolution since it was introduced by Charles Darwin in his "On the Origin of the Species" in 1859. Such background is presumed on my part. Further, the ideas I consider here are not original. They derive, by and large, from a new interpretation of consciousness and are an extension of the notions presented by Leslie Dewart in "The Foundations of Belief."
This book is a compendium of book reviews reflecting my “Creed of Life.” The fact is that my Cree... more This book is a compendium of book reviews reflecting my “Creed of Life.” The fact is that my Creed of Life has been fashioned through these authors, as well as others not mentioned here, whose works were personally important to me and significant to my intellectual development. This list is continually being lengthened as authors, living or dead and previously unknown to me, are added. Only authors profoundly influencing my Creed of Life are mentioned here. Other authors, whose works were interesting, but not highly influential, were rejected for purposes of this account. My rejection of them, however, is no judgment on their significance in the formation of a Creed of Life by other individuals. The authors I have selected were significant in my work as a theologian whose task is to interpret doctrine and religious belief to the faithful. The point of departure for an exposé of my Creed of Life is the interpretive shift that occurred in the doctrinal and pastoral documents issued by the Second Vatican Council. To my way of thinking, hidden in the doctrinal and pastoral philosophical interpretations by the Council’s theologians and philosophers are significant resources for philosophical and theological reflection on the fashioning of a personal Creed of Life. It has been my experience, arising from conciliar doctrinal and pastoral interpretation, that a contemporary approach towards self-knowledge as well as an entry into and a deeper appreciation of contemporary wisdom may be established. The reader will appreciate that these reviews may be identified with the various moments of my intellectual discontinuity with the past when I, in effect, “stopped believing that, and began believing this.” The books reviewed here, written by others, and the books that I have written reflect these moments.
I take as a “jumping off place” for this reflection the Conclusion that Werner Brock, (Dr. Phil.)... more I take as a “jumping off place” for this reflection the Conclusion that Werner Brock, (Dr. Phil.) made to his lectures published as "An Introduction to Contemporary German Philosophy" (1935, Cambridge University Press). Following the observation of J. H. Muirhead in the Foreword, that “readers will draw their own conclusions from his presentation of his subject in this book,” I am sufficiently convinced of the merit of Brock’s lectures that I quote the Conclusion in its entirety as a foundation for the philosophical thinking I develop in this brief book.
The essays collected into this volume represent an attempt by the author to philosophize creative... more The essays collected into this volume represent an attempt by the author to philosophize creatively on four topics: Philosophy, Posthumanity, Ecology, and Adlerian Psychology in light of a posthuman understanding. Each has been written from a “dehellenized” point of view which makes them somewhat unconventional in their construction and presentation.
The essays collected into this volume represent an attempt by the author to philosophize creativ... more The essays collected into this volume represent an attempt by the author to philosophize creatively on three different topics; Video Gaming, God, and Philosophical Thought in light of a posthuman understanding. Each has been written from a “dehellenized” point of view which makes them somewhat unconventional in their construction and presentation.
Note: This is a revised, short and independent presentation which has been previously published a... more Note: This is a revised, short and independent presentation which has been previously published as Part II in "Reflections on Ecological Philosophy in Light of Dehellenized Western Theism."
Why read Philosophers? I suppose the immediate answer to that question that comes to mind for mos... more Why read Philosophers? I suppose the immediate answer to that question that comes to mind for most individuals is that “I want to learn something,” or perhaps to know what other philosophers know. Such were my reasons at one time. However, today (in my retirement years) that is not the case. Rather, I read other philosophers to confirm what I already know, not so much to know what they know, although that does occur also. That means that I discover if I am in accord or in discord with the perspective of the philosopher I am reading. In short, I am already somewhat conscious of an issue before I search out a particular philosopher to read. The “inquiring-minds-want-to-know” phase of my earlier philosophical reading has passed and now it is a matter of confirming the truthfulness or authenticity of that which I am aware, but not with the aid of a classical philosophical education. Rather, I ask myself, am I conscious to the fullest degree humanly possible?
In the course of my presentation of Dewart’s philosophy in this book, I shall note particular ins... more In the course of my presentation of Dewart’s philosophy in this book, I shall note particular insights of two other thinkers, whose religious philosophy I accept as dehellenized in Dewart’s meaning of the term. Auguste Sabatier (1839-1901) and Paul Trudinger, (1930-) never employ the term as far as I can determine. Both Sabatier and Trudinger base their philosophical interpretation on experience. Both suggest that one must decide against what one had been taught by religious authorities of their day. Trudinger gives examples from his belief in the Christian Creed and Sabatier gives examples from the philosophy and theology of the Church in his time. For Trudinger, the decision against one’s earlier instruction is a “shift in faith,” not a “loss of faith.” For Sabatier, “autonomy, in action, transforms authority by gradually displacing its seat. So much the more does authority contribute to the development of autonomy. From their interaction results the progress of humanity.” To my mind, both philosophical attitudes, Trudinger’s “shift in faith” and Sabatier’s “active autonomy,” are what Dewart describes as dehellenization of the philosophical attitude, in a positive sense.
In this essay I contemplate the possibility of posthuman philosophy within the religious and theo... more In this essay I contemplate the possibility of posthuman philosophy within the religious and theological schools of thought. In doing this, I do not focus on the traditional philosophical humanism which characterizes the scholastic and neo-scholastic approach within Western philosophy. Rather, I focus on a “dehellenized” philosophical way of thinking that, I hold, characterizes the thresholds of a philosophical consciousness. That is to say, the Hellenistic philosophical principles that support Western humanism, are not used to support my understanding of a philosophy appropriate to posthumanity. As an existential philosopher, with a view to evolving as a posthuman philosopher, I evaluate aspects of the philosophical consciousness of William Gladstone (1809-1898) politician and George Tyrrell (theologian) in terms of both humanism and posthumanism from a phenomenological philosophical perspective. I realize that the phenomenological notion of humanity (in contrast to the classical idea of humanism) may not be adequately grasped by all philosophers. It seems to me that although many professionals appear to be somewhat conversant with general philosophical and theological notions that are pertinent to humanity, they nonetheless are struggling to clarify their understanding of an emerging posthuman philosophy. Yet, despite the growing popularity of research into posthumanism in academia, most academics, have but a general and somewhat sketchy knowledge of the significance of posthuman philosophy. Not all research into posthumanity is undertaken as philosophy. But rather most is undertaken as a dramatic exercise of human imagination or of fantastic reasoning. Thus, it is understandable that some researchers lack an adequate philosophical vocabulary to express their thoughts for a philosophy on the thresholds of posthumanity.
Contemporary philosophical contemplation may be compared to a cruise about a well-chartered harbo... more Contemporary philosophical contemplation may be compared to a cruise about a well-chartered harbor. Familiar philosophical landmarks are seen from a different vantage points, but they remain familiar landmarks all the same. In other words, the philosophical charts of Hellenism provide the template for a familiar cruise within traditional philosophical waters. In this book, I venture out into the less familiar waters beyond the philosophical breakwater, as it were, taking along with me the traditional philosophical charts of Hellenism. However, I test their applicability and their accuracy in unknown philosophical waters where, thus far, few other have gone.
This book is based on a phenomenological philosophical reflection, as opposed to a presentation ... more This book is based on a phenomenological philosophical reflection, as opposed to a presentation of an uncritical exposé of ideas. Th at is to say, the ideas I present here have been reflected upon, considered and re-considered. Also, not just my initial insights, but additional insights arising from my reflections, have been reflected upon, considered and re-considered before I presented them here
Uploads
Books by Allan M Savage
Those readers looking for an exhaustive treatment of the philosophical and theological disciplines will not find in this book. Those seeking to discount, debunk or replace theology with a secular philosophy will be disappointed. The aim of this book is not to debunk, defend or criticize either discipline. It is to examine the relationship between philosophy and theology and thereby to develop an understanding that gives meaning to human activity.