An introduction to materialism - 3 / 3
Beginning of an introduction to materialism
Main differences between materialism and spiritualism
| Materialism | Spiritualism |
|
Monism : only one substance exists. For materialism, this substance is matter. |
Dualism : two substances exists : matter & mind or spiritualist monism : only mind exists. |
| Man can be known or described by only matter. | Man does not consist of only matter. |
| Absence of beliefs in "supernatural", atheism. | Beliefs : God, soul, next world, reincarnation, superstitions, supernatural systems of explanation... |
| Man has an illusion of autonomy. He is subjected to determinism or random. | Man is autonomous or free. |
| Self-consciousness is an illusion that is generated by the complexity of the organization of matter. | Soul is autonomous. |
|
Absence of meaning to life. Man fixes itself his own finality: humanity, for example. |
Spiritual finality often of divine origin. |
| Man, as an animal like another, is a part of nature. | Man dominates nature. |
| Man is a product of evolution. | Creationism. |
| What are called "mysteries" are only questions unsolved by sciences. | There are mysteries that the human reason cannot and will never be able to solve. |
| Our ignorance must be accepted. | Ignorance is transformed into transcendence "stopgap" or substitute, like God. |
| Priority is given to the research of the "how". | Priority is given to the research of the "why". |
| Nnowledge. | Faith. |
| Perception. | Speculation. |