Philosophically, essence is a very important concept. We always say that to understand things is to know the essence of things, to look at problems to see the essence of problems, and so on, but few of us know that essence is actually a preset existence, it is like a flower in the moon mirror in the water, like a rainbow and a mirage in the sky, which is unattainable. People don't know that the concept of essence actually sets us an illusory goal, and makes our understanding of things complicated and inefficient.
In the following, I will gradually reveal how people presuppose the existence of essence, and how this presupposition complicates the problem.
Q: What is the essence?
Answer: Essence refers to the fundamental attributes inherent in a thing itself that determine its nature, appearance, and level of development. It can be the intrinsic prescriptiveness of things, or it can be the internal contradictions of things. The essence is hidden, it is expressed through phenomena, and it cannot be understood by simple intuition, but must be grasped through phenomena.
Here you need to pay attention to the fact that artificial intelligence Wenxin Yiyan does not admit that essence is a kind of predetermined existence, I let it analyze the process of people's understanding of essence, and let it admit that essence is a preset existence through the method of logical analysis. The key here is to make it realize that the argument "inherent in things as they are" is simply unreliable.
Regarding the question of "whether the attribute is inherent in the thing itself", we have already talked about it in the previous article, whether it is chatgpt or Wenxin Yiyan, these two large language models have to admit in the end, we can't determine which attribute is inherent in the thing itself, here we will not focus on the discussion, interested friends can take a look at the previous article.
Through dialogue, we can see that although we think that the essence is inherent in the thing itself, in reality we cannot be sure that it must be intrinsic at all, and although we think that the essence of the thing must exist, we cannot guarantee that it must exist.
Q: Essence is a kind of existence that people presuppose, right?
A: Not true. Essence is not a preconceived existence. It is a philosophical concept used to describe and understand the core and root of things. While one can use the word "essence" to describe and understand things, the essence itself is not presupposed, but revealed through thinking and **. Therefore, essence is not a presupposed, but a concept that needs to be understood through philosophical reflection and **.
In addition, the essence of a thing is the fundamental attributes and characteristics that the thing itself possesses, and has nothing to do with people's presuppositions. For example, the essence of a physical object may include properties such as its mass, shape, composition, etc., which are not preset by people, but are inherent in the object itself. Similarly, the nature of a social phenomenon or human behavior may involve a variety of factors and historical contexts, and cannot be arbitrarily predetermined.
Therefore, essence is not a concept that can be preset at will, but a concept that needs to be understood through deep thinking and **.
Question: Essence refers to the intrinsic nature of the thing itself, how do people determine that the thing itself must be intrinsic in nature?
A: The process of determining the intrinsic nature of things themselves is a complex process that requires in-depth observation, analysis, and reflection. Here are some ways and steps to determine the nature of things:
1. Observe and collect data: First of all, you need to observe things carefully and collect enough data and information in order to have a comprehensive understanding of things. This data and information can include the appearance, structure, function, history, cultural background, and so on.
2. Analyze data and information: Analyze the collected data and information to find out the regularity and characteristics. These regularities and characteristics can be obvious or require further derivation.
3. Look for commonalities and characteristics: Analyze the commonalities and characteristics of things and other things, and find out their similarities and uniqueness. These commonalities and characteristics can help us better understand the nature of things.
4. Induction and summary: Summarize and summarize the regularities and characteristics of the analysis to form a relatively complete description. This description should be able to cover all aspects of things and be able to be accepted and understood by most people.
5. Verification and correction: Finally, it is necessary to verify the resulting essence description in practice to see if it can correctly explain the behavior and changes of things. If a problem is found, the essence description needs to be corrected and refined.
It should be noted that determining the nature of things is a process of continuous exploration and revision, which requires an open mind and a critical spirit. At the same time, different people and cultural backgrounds may also have different understandings and descriptions of the essence of the same thing.
Q: So, people actually speculate about the inherent nature of things based on observational data, and essence is also a kind of existence that people assume, right?
A: Yes, people do speculate and assume the nature of things based on observational data and information. Essence is not an absolutely objective being, but a concept and hypothesis put forward by people in order to better understand and explain things.
However, such speculations and assumptions do not imply that the essence is entirely subjective. In the process of speculating on the essence, people will collect and analyze objective data and information as much as possible in order to arrive at a relatively objective conclusion. In addition, some universal, basic concepts of essence are also widely accepted and applied, suggesting that they reflect the true nature of things to a certain extent.
In conclusion, essence is a concept and hypothesis that people put forward in order to better understand and explain things, and is inferred based on observational data and information. Although essences are not absolutely objective beings, they reflect the true nature of things to a certain extent.
In a previous article, we said that presupposition is bound to lead to all sorts of contradictions and arguments. The same is true of the concept of essence, the existence of which is bound to give rise to all sorts of controversy. The definition of essence that we mentioned earlier is only the definition in the textbooks we have studied, and there is a lot of philosophical debate about the concept of essence.
What we need to note here is that traditional theories have presuppositions, and people do not presuppose such existence to presuppose such existence. On the question of essence, even if someone doubts or denies that essence exists objectively, he will presuppose another form of existence of essence, or presuppose the existence of the situation that "essence does not exist".
Q: Is the concept of essence philosophically controversial?
A: Yes, the concept of essence is philosophically controversial. Different philosophers have different definitions and understandings of essence, and some philosophers even question whether the concept of essence really exists.
Philosophically, essentialism and non-essentialism are two different perspectives. Essentialism believes that there is a fixed and single essence of things, and this essence is the basic characteristic or essential attribute of things, which determines their nature, appearance, and level of development. Non-essentialism holds that the characteristics and attributes of things are multiple, that there is no one true essence, and that each thing has its own unique characteristics and attributes.
Some philosophers believe that the concept of essence is logically flawed. For example, if we believe that everything has a singular essential attribute, we may ignore the characteristics and attributes of other aspects and thus lose a more complete awareness and understanding. In addition, we may fall into the trap of focusing on the superficial characteristics of things and ignoring their deeper essential properties.
Non-essentialism, on the other hand, can emphasize the multidimensionality and diversity of things, providing a broader framework for thinking and analysis. It can lead us to a more comprehensive and in-depth understanding of the characteristics and properties of things, which can help us better understand and solve problems.
In conclusion, the concept of essence is philosophically controversial. Different philosophers define and understand it differently, and some even question its existence. However, regardless of whether the essence exists or not, we need to keep an open mind when exploring the essential characteristics of things, taking into account the diversity and complexity of things. Only in this way can we truly grasp the whole picture of things.
Q: What are the different views on the concept of essence, apart from essentialism and non-essentialism, and what some philosophers consider to be logically flawed?
A: In addition to essentialism and non-essentialism and the logical flaws that some philosophers believe in essence, there are also philosophers who hold a different view of essence. Some of these observations include:
1. The relativity of essence: Some philosophers believe that essence is not absolute, but relative to different contexts and perspectives. They believe that the essence of things can change with time and circumstances, and therefore, essence is a relative concept.
2. The constructivity of essence: Other philosophers believe that essence does not exist in advance, but is constructed through people's cognition and practical activities. They believe that people are constantly shaping and changing the nature of things through their observations, descriptions, and interpretations.
3. Multiplicity of essences: There are also philosophers who believe that things may have multiple essences, rather than a single, fixed essence. They believe that things have different levels and dimensions, each with its own unique essential attributes and characteristics.
4. The negativity of essence: Some philosophers have a negative attitude towards essence, believing that essence does not exist. They believe that the properties and characteristics of things are diverse, and that there is no unified, fixed essence that can encapsulate all of them. In addition, they pointed out that the concept of essence is often associated with power, control and exclusion, which can easily lead to the neglect and exclusion of certain groups and characteristics.
In conclusion, there are many views on essence, and different philosophers have conducted in-depth ** and reflection on essence from different angles and levels. These different views and perspectives provide us with a broader perspective and space for thinking to understand and recognize things. At the same time, it also reminds us that we need to maintain an open attitude and a critical spirit when it comes to the essence of things, and constantly reflect and question existing views.
The conventional wisdom holds that essence must exist.
So, what about it exists in **
The understanding of the concept of essence determines the direction in which people study the problem. The essence is hidden, it is expressed through phenomena, and it cannot be understood by simple intuition, but must be grasped through phenomena. This is equivalent to saying that the essence exists in our unknown territory, in the darkness, and we need to explore it in the darkness.
Observing and collecting data, analyzing data and information, searching for commonalities and characteristics, inducting and summarizing, verifying and revising, there is no step in the methods and steps of people to understand the essence of things, or we can directly determine that what we find must be the essence of things.
Determining the essence of things is a process of constant exploration and revision, which requires an open mind and a critical spirit. This shows that the process of knowing the essence of things is a process of a blind man touching an elephant.
Q: What kind of difficulties or problems do people encounter when studying the nature of things?Illustrate.
A: When studying the nature of things, people encounter many difficulties and problems. Here are some examples of common difficulties and problems:
Distinction between essence and phenomenon: A common difficulty in philosophy is the distinction between essence and phenomenon. Essence is considered to be an intrinsic, intrinsic property of things, while phenomena are external manifestations that we perceive. In practice, however, it is often difficult to distinguish between the essence of a thing and the phenomena it presents. For example, we may view surface features such as color, shape, size, etc., of an object as its essence, ignoring deeper properties and relationships.
The unknowability of essence: Another issue is the unknowability of essence. Some philosophers believe that we cannot fully understand the nature of things because our knowledge and understanding are always limited by factors such as language, culture, beliefs, and personal experience. For example, we may not be able to fully understand the essence of a mathematical concept because our linguistic and cultural background may not be able to express its full meaning.
Essence and Relationships: When studying the nature of things, we also need to consider the relationships between things. The essence of a thing may depend not only on its own properties but also on its relationship to other things. For example, the essence of a person may depend not only on his personal qualities, but also on his relationship to environmental factors such as family, society, and culture.
Limitations of language: The limitations of language also make it difficult for people when it comes to the nature of things. Language is the main tool we use to express and understand things, but sometimes language can't fully convey our understanding and knowledge of things. For example, some philosophers believe that our language cannot express the essence of certain abstract concepts, such as time, space, free will, etc.
These difficulties and problems show the complexity and challenge of studying the nature of things, but they also stimulate people's deep thinking and exploration of knowledge and understanding.
Question: Name a few difficulties or problems encountered in studying the nature of specific things, for example, difficulties and problems encountered in studying the nature of human beings, and so on.
Answer: When studying the essence of concrete things, people may encounter the following difficulties and problems:
Taking human beings as an example, the following difficulties and problems may be encountered when studying the essence of human beings:
Biological and cultural intermingling: The essence of human beings is intertwined with biology and culture. Humans are a product of biological evolution and have the same biological characteristics as other animals, such as reproduction, diet, and sleep, among others. At the same time, human beings are also products of culture, interacting with others and forming societies through language, symbols, Xi and beliefs. Therefore, the study of the essence of the human being requires the consideration of both biological and cultural dimensions, which complicates the definition of essence.
Diversity and commonality: Human beings have diversity and commonality. Each person is a unique individual with unique experiences, thoughts, and behaviors. At the same time, human beings also have some universal commonalities, such as the desire for love, the fear of death, and the need to belong to society. When studying the nature of human beings, it is necessary to find a balance between diversity and commonality, taking into account both the uniqueness of individuals and the common characteristics of human beings.
Subjectivity and objectivity: There is a tension between subjectivity and objectivity in the understanding of the nature of human beings. Subjectivity means that human understanding of self and others is influenced by factors such as personal experience, emotion, and cognition;Objectivity, on the other hand, implies the existence of some universal laws and norms that transcend subjective experience, such as moral principles and social norms. In studying the nature of the human being, it is necessary to reconcile this contradiction between subjectivity and objectivity in order to gain a more comprehensive and accurate understanding.
Dynamics and stability: The essence of human beings has two aspects: dynamics and stability. Dynamism refers to the fact that people's thoughts and behaviors change in response to changes in the environment and social experiences;Stability refers to the existence of some relatively stable characteristics in the essence of human beings, such as personality traits and values. This balance between dynamism and stability needs to be taken into account when studying the essence of man in order to reveal how the essence of man manifests itself in different times and environments.
In short, there may be a variety of difficulties and problems when studying the nature of specific things, which require us to constantly think and explore. This is especially true for the study of human nature, which requires comprehensive analysis from multiple angles and dimensions to better understand the nature and characteristics of human beings.
Q: A few more examples.
A: Of course, here are some other examples of the difficulties and problems that can arise when studying the nature of something concrete:
Take "love" as an example: when we try to understand and study the nature of "love", we may encounter some difficulties. First of all, love is a subjective experience, and different people can understand and experience it very differently. This makes it difficult to find a universally applicable definition. Secondly, love is also influenced by a variety of factors such as culture, society, and history, which makes it difficult for us to extract a fixed and unchanging essence from it.
Take "art" as an example: we also encounter some difficulties when trying to understand and study the nature of "art". First of all, the definition of art varies from person to person, and different people may have different concepts and standards of art. This makes it difficult to find a universally applicable definition. Secondly, the historical and cultural background of art is also extremely complex, which makes it difficult to extract a fixed essence from it.
Take "historical events" as an example: we may encounter some difficulties when we try to understand and study the nature of "historical events". First of all, historical events are things that have already happened and we cannot directly observe or experience them. This allows us to understand them only in indirect ways such as historical records, documents, and relics. Second, historical events are often influenced by a variety of factors, such as political, economic, cultural and personal factors, which makes it difficult for us to find a single essence from them.
These examples show that there are multiple difficulties and problems that we may encounter when trying to understand and study the essence of concrete things. These questions require us to think deeply and study to better understand and grasp the essence of things.
Traditional philosophical theories tell us that there must be an essence in things, but we are never sure which essence we find is the inherent essence of the thing itself, and what we end up finding is a bunch of things that are full of various controversies and need to be constantly revised and deepened.
Question: You say that essence refers to the fundamental attributes inherent in things that determine their nature, appearance, and level of development, and that different angles of observation and ways of thinking will reveal different essences, does this mean that there are many kinds of essences of things?
A: Yes, the nature of things can be varied, depending on the angle and way we observe and think. In philosophy, there is a view called "essential pluralism", which holds that the essence of things is not singular, but consists of a number of different properties. This view holds that every thing has many different attributes and characteristics that together determine the essence and characteristics of that thing. Therefore, when we observe and think about things from different angles and ways, different essences and characteristics are revealed.
For example, we can observe and understand the essence of a person from different perspectives. From a physiological point of view, the essence of a person can be the cells, organs, and tissues of his body;From a psychological point of view, the essence of a person can be his thoughts, emotions, and consciousness;From a sociological point of view, the essence of a person can be his role, status, and value. Therefore, the same thing can have different essences and properties in the eyes of different people, depending on the angle and way from which they observe and think.
In conclusion, the nature of things can be varied, depending on the angle and way from which we observe and think. By constantly observing and thinking, we can gain a deeper understanding of the nature and properties of things, and thus better recognize and understand it.
Question: If we say that the essence of things is diverse, can we still say that essence is the fundamental attribute inherent in things themselves, which determines their nature, appearance, and level of development?How can the fundamental attributes be diverse?How can we know which nature determines the nature, appearance, and level of development of things?
Answer: Indeed, if the nature of things is diverse, then how can we determine which essence is the fundamental attribute that determines the nature, appearance, and level of development of things?This is indeed a complex issue. In philosophy, there is a view called "essential monism", which holds that the essence of things is singular but can have multiple manifestations. This view holds that although we can observe and think about things from different angles and ways, in the end, there is only one essence that determines its nature, appearance, and level of development.
So, how do we determine what this unique essence is?Some philosophers believe that we can ** the nature and laws of things by thinking deeply and reasoning. For example, by observing and studying the history and development process of things, we can discover their intrinsic laws and essential properties. Other philosophers believe that we can reveal the nature and properties of things through practice and experimentation. Through practice and experimentation, we can gain direct experience and evidence of things, so as to better recognize and understand the nature and characteristics of things.
In short, although the essence of things can be diverse, we can learn about their internal laws and essential properties through in-depth thinking, practice, and experimentation. While we can't be sure what the only essence is, we can better recognize and understand it by constantly observing and studying it to gain a deeper understanding of the nature and properties of things.
Our philosophy textbooks say that there are different levels of essence, such as primary essence, secondary essence, and so on. People's understanding always advances from the individual to the special and then to the general. Relative to the individual, the special is the essence hidden behind the individual phenomenon, and the understanding from the individual to the special is also from the phenomenon to the essence;The further elevation of knowledge from the special to the general is from the first-order essence of the knowledge of things to the second-order essence. "From phenomena to essences, from the so-called primary essence to the secondary essence, the human mind deepens and deepens to infinity. (Principles of Marxist Philosophy, 4th Edition, ed., Chen Xianda, Yang Geng, p. 97).