Philosophy in Zeitgeist

Zeitgeist means spirit of times, the drift of thought and feeling in a certain period. Philosophy had a long journey to each Zeitgeist. Existentialism is one of main core of philosophy. Since René Descartes with his famous “I think therefore I am” until the post Word-War years were the great time of existentialism. The most varied philosophies schools of thought and ideologies have always coexisted. What is meant here are those ideas which penetrated beyond the small circle of the philosophically interested into the public at large and influenced thinking in many fields where each in its way for several years determined zeitgeist.

Zeitgeist is linked with the names of German philosopher, Martin Heideger and Karl Jespers. The main works of both had appeared decades previously, but only now met with a broader response, whereby no doubt misunderstandings and over-simplification occurred. In the time of crisis and period of deprivation following total defeat in 1945, where often enough the issue was mere survival, many could identify with a philosophy whose main precepts were Angst (fear), Sorge (worry), Scheitern (failure), Geworfenheit (being cast down) and which radically threw the human being back to that innermost core which is preserved even in the face of death.

The people who live at that zeitgeist, stood in a make-or-break situation the moment had come for this teaching to prove its worth. Thus it is no coincidence that among the many whose in philosophical seriousness pronounced on the question. Karl Jespers had the weightiest utterances to make. He and Martin Heideger contribute to increase public philosophical awareness. When economic rose in German, the attractiveness of existentialism gradually paled. People live in consolidating, prosperity, and social security advanced year by year and there appeared to be no limits to their growth.

In such a climate one readily tended to think that fundamental questions such as the meanings of history or human coexistence had lost their importance and that the only thing which still mattered was finding pragmatic solutions for individual problems. To some this was not enough. They took the view that to reject Communism with its self-contained ideology one needed a counter-ideology which had to rest on such precepts as “freedom” and “Western civilization”. But on the whole, the fact that on German soil two conflicting models of society were being tried out was felt to be more of an annoyance than a challenge. The majority wanted nothing to do with such problems. Sociologist of the time spoke of the “skeptical generation” and of a progress of “de-ideologization” which they regarded as irreversible.

Insurance as Life Protection Plan

At this time, maybe you’re no doubt in good health and leading an enjoyable lifestyle. You’ve probably got some degree of financial commitment, such as a mortgage, stock, or bond. You may even have a family to support.



But have you ever considered what would be happened if you couldn’t work due to an accident or serious illness? How would you manage? Worse still, how would your family cope if you were no longer there to support them? You may think nothing serious could ever happen to you. Yet every year in the world, million people suffered a heart attack, having some form of cancer, got a stroke, and some others need to receive kidney dialysis.

So wouldn’t it be reassuring to know that you could benefit from a cash lump sum if you were to fall ill?

Or that your financial responsibilities would be taken care of if you were to die? You can do something about this now, and sooner is better.

At each stage of your life-when you are single, then you got married, setting up home, bringing up children or waiting for grandchildren-your responsibilities, and therefore your protection needs, are change. Any solution needs to be flexible, capable of changing with you throughout life.

An insurance polis means to make life protection plan. Choose an insurance company that offers complete protection-for you-if you got serious illness, or for your family-if you die. The polis you take should focus on your needs right now and is easily adapted to reflect your needs anytime in the future.

If you’re single, how would your lifestyle suffer if a serious accident or illness stopped you from working long term?

Many life assurance policies only offer a lump sum in the event of death-hardly useful if you have no dependants. So, what you should do is to choose an insurance that you can receive financial support when it matters most, when a serious illness is diagnosed by your physician.

It’s also important to have a plan that can change as your life changes. For example, if you get married the increase commitment will mean increased responsibility. The polis you took must allow you to increase the level of cover to protect your new partner and perhaps your mortgage as well.

But don’t leave it too late to think about the future. Because the younger you are when you start a plan, the lower the premiums will be.

Whether you’re married or you’ve set up home, you should consider how best to protect your health as well as secure your future.

If your budget is tight now, perhaps with a mortgage and other monthly outgoings, then your lifestyle is in all the more danger should either of you suffer a serious illness. Choose the polis that flexible enough to protect your children, if you decide to have one. With no need for further medical checks, you can increase the level of your cover in the plan for up to three children.

If you have a family, who will take over if a serious illness or death stops you from providing for your family? The right insurance polis can ease what could be a huge financial burden on you and your family.

Looking ahead on the brighter side, your lifestyle will hopefully change for the better-perhaps you’ll move to a larger house to cope with your growing family. In most cases, insurance polis can protect the increase in your mortgage without the need for further medical checks.

Renaissance of Marxism

Speak about existentialism, thinkers came to the fore whose works had long been in existence. One should mention here are Max Horkheimer and Theodor W Adorno, whose “critical theory” fused Marxist criticism of society with the findings of psycho-analysis. They had great influence on the anti-authoritarian student movement which began in 1966. Also important, albeit less direct, was the impact of Ernst Bloch, probably the most original Marxist philosopher, who incorporated the entire. European cultural heritage in his philosophy of hope, innumerable other variations of Marxism found their adherents. But non-Marxist analyses of society were also discussed Gesselschaft (society) became the fashionable word of the age.

The interest in Marxism and sociological inquiry in general was in large measure prompted by doubts being articulated more frequently than previously. Too high, sometimes simply utopian hopes were placed in reforms begun in the late 60’s. They could not be fulfilled on the scale hoped for, especially when the economic crisis beginning in the 1970s greatly curbed the material means available. There upon disappointment, disillusionment with reform and an anti-utopian mood spread. Many observers saw in this a turn of the tide, a return of Conservatism.

Probably this interpretation is too superficial. It is true, however, that the belief in simple theories which claim to offer an explanation of all social phenomena, has become shaky, as has the idea that society could be changed quickly. One testimony to this is the growing following attracted by critical rationalism, a school of thought whose leading representative is Sir Karl Popper.

But beyond this, new problems have arisen which seem to fit into none of the inherited ways of looking at the world. Where the issues are destruction of the environment, depletion of natural resources and the possible limits to the economic growth, categories such as “progressive” and “conservative” are no longer applicable in their traditional meanings. Quite new fronts are coming into being cutting across all ideological camps.

Perhaps indicative of the latest developments is that natural scientific and socio-scientific thinking are again moving closer together. When Werner Heisenberg, one of the great nuclear physicists of the 20th century, published his unitary theory of elementary particles in the 60s it found respectful recognition in the interested public, but hardly influenced philosophical thinking about mankind and its position in the world.

Half a generation later things look completely different. Heisenberg’s pupil, Carl Friedrich von Weizsäcker, formerly a physicist of renowned himself in 1970 founded an Institute for the study of the Preconditions of Human Life in the Modern World. He is representative of a generation of thinkers-who have turned to the new inter-disciplinary inquiry.

Philosophy are coming into being here and elsewhere do not yet have generally recognized names. But there is no doubt that they will lastingly influence public awareness in the immediate future.(*)