Problem zła dziejowego w ateistycznej historiozofii

Abstract

According to the German philosopher Karl Loewith, one of the most profound reasons for a philosophy of history is the human experience of evil and suffering inherent in historical processes. The explanation of the origin of evil given by the Bible, especially in Genesis, has become a pattem not only for Christian thinkers but also indirectly for the atheistic philosophers of history P. J. Proudhon, K. Marx and F. Nietzsche. P. J. Proudhon sees extreme poverty as the most basic form of evil in society. To liberate himself from poverty man has to reject God and become the sole master of the world. K. Marx examines reasons for evil found in the historical development of the social relations of production and property. The corruption of these relations causes man’s alienation and “false consciousness” The only way to liberate man is social revolution and building an ideal communistic society. F. Nietzsche sees the decadence of Western civilization and criticizes its groundless belief in progress. His solution is to reject the Christian ideal of man and to create the “Overman” who will reconcile freedom with necessity. All of these atheistic philosophers, though they reject the Christian cultural and philosophical heritage, use the biblical pattem for the explanation of evil. They agree that man needs to be liberated from the burden of the “original sin” of history. But in their atheistic and naturalistic views they leave man alone in fighting against evil conceived as absolute. Their solutions for liberating man from the evil of history seem to be deceptive.