Kadim Doğu Düşüncesinden Schopenhauer'e Sonlu ve Sonsuz İlişkisi Bağlamında Zorunlu Belirlenim Olarak Özgürlük

Abstract

Facing the finiteness of ourselves and everything that is open to our senses is an important reason why we resort to the idea of an Eternal existence and try to connect this idea to a permanent essence behind temporary things. The way we encounter this finiteness determines the general attitude we adopt in our earthly life. If our aim when referring to the infinite is not just to ease ourselves but to try to understand our position in eternity, it will be inevitable for us to question the nature of the freedom we have. What we end up with is that we often associate freedom with necessity.

In this regard, our effort to see the universal principle behind individual things and facts forms the basis for our understanding of the coexistence of the finite and the eternal. It can be seen in the history of thought that the tendency adopted at moments when the finite and the eternal are grasped in unity is common. In these thoughts, the effort to reach a total perspective is essential. For this reason, the individual is always grasped from the universal principle it contains. Only such a tendency paves the way for us to evaluate the phenomena that are subject to become and vanish within a general context and make them meaningful. Moreover, in line with the same tendency, perceiving our individual existence in the context of its relationship with the Totality will make an actual freedom possible for us. Once we reach such an understanding, the rigid distinction we assume between freedom and solid determination disappears. The more we see the necessity in our way of being, the easier it is for us to affirm this existence.

In this context, in our study, we will include the moments in the history of thought that justify this affirmation, and we will especially draw attention to the basic similarities they contain in this regard. Our research has shown that thoughts on this subject have a common basis at certain points, regardless of place and time, from ancient Eastern Thought to Ancient Greek Philosophy, from the beginning of Modern Philosophy to 19th Century German Philosophy. We will try to show this basis in our work. Because we can only realize that our finite and individual side will have an actual value within the Eternal Whole, only to the extent that we see these basis. Our understanding of this issue paves the way for us to affirm our own existence, regardless of the place and period in which we live, and thus achieve an actual power. Our aim in our study is to contribute to such an affirmation.