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Comment and Analysis on Helvetius’ Social Conception of History

Author: LiLi
Tutor: WuRenPing
School: Jiangxi Normal University
Course: Foreign Philosophy
Keywords: Helvetius social conception of history benefit universal education republic
CLC: B565
Type: Master's thesis
Year: 2008
Downloads: 120
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Abstract

Helvetius is an outstanding representative of French materialistic philosophers in the 18th century ,his philosophic thinking rich in content ,strong emotion ,and has the very strong influence and inspiration ,thus has received our country philosophy researcher’s warm attention and takes seriously, especially in epistemology, atheism, and social ethics theory that have been fully respect and profound understanding , But for a long time ,actually browses in the social conception of history aspect not many, has not been able to give the enough attention and the inquisition, although there are some related works and the paper at present, but not sufficient and systematic. This article is precisely based on this reason, hopes that on basis of the Marxism historical materialism, through a careful reading of the Helvetius’original works and the existing related research results to refine and elaborate the Helvetius’social conception of history comprehensively and systematically, to make the objective evaluation to its rationality and incorrigbility in society conception of history, and to comb and be sure of the development vein and the logical clue of Helvetius’social conception of history ,and also to provide correlative theories for understanding the overall advancement about French society conception of history in the 18th century , hopes that could make some beneficial explorations for the current construction of harmonious society in our country.This article mainly from six parts to describe and analyze the Helvetius’social conception of history . The first part elaborates the social background and the formed theoretical origins of the Helvetius’social conception of history. because any thinking of a philosopher must be under the certain time politics, the economic background, and be affected deeply by the previous philosophers . The second part elaborates the starting point of the Helvetius’social conception of history, just the human. Helvetius particularly pays more attention to the human and it is a special research topic to him, his two representative works both take the human as the center. his opinions about person’s essence, relationship between the man and the environment ,balance of the human and the social ,have shaken the feudal system and the obscurantism ,vacillated the feudal rule. The third part describes Helvetius’view about impetus to the development of social history, he thinks that the benefit is the people behavior impetus, is also the social development power , he pays attention from the benefit angle regarding question ,and tries from the material aspect to inspect the historical movement ,his this kind of social impetus theory created the stage of benefit history in the social conception of history. However , I think that the impetus to the development of social history should directly relate to person’s existence and needs ,its core is the need to meet these people and the need for the practice. The fourth part from the“people are the product of the environment ,”which Helvetius services, refines and evaluates the social control theory in his social conception of history ,namely“all laws creating”and“universal education”. The fifth part discusses the anticipation and construction of Helvetius for the future ideal society, he strongly opposes to absolute monarchy and religious theology ,tries to establish the free and equal republic through to conclude the social contract, but in search of realization on this ideal path, he also falls into contradiction and is very painful, because he doesn’t know it should be improved or revolutionized, thus it indicates Helvetius doesn’t know that in class antagonistic society ,hostile contradictions in class is irreconcilable. The sixth part discusses as a great enlightened thinkers in the 18th century , in the long history Helvetius’social conception of history has a great role and positive influence without doubt, but because of the limitations of the times and the class, his social conception of history also is filled with contradiction and confusion, and is entered the historical idealism position finally.

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