We, that is, the traditionalists like myself, use the term…
““We, that is, the traditionalists like myself, use the term ‘‘modernism’’ not in a vague way as characterizing just things that happen to be around today, but as a particular way of looking at the world, a worldview that began in the Renaissance in the West with such components as Renaissance humanism, rationalism, et cetera. As I have mentioned already, modernism rejects the primacy of absolute and ultimate truth transcending the human order and descend- ing upon the human realm from the Divine Order. It places man himself at the center of the stage as ‘‘the absolute.’’ In a sense it absolutizes the human being in his or her earthly reality. Usually it does not come out and say so explicitly, but that is what it really means; that is, it takes the absolute away from God and puts it on the human plane, and therefore makes human reason, human perceptions, human interests the criteria of reality, of knowledge, of the truth, of the goal of human life. Therefore, as a consequence it substitutes the significance of the temporal and the transient for the abiding and the eternal.””
About This Quote
This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.
Modernism shifts ultimate truth from divine to human, making human reason and interests the ultimate criteria for reality and meaning.
In simple terms: Human-centered truth replaces divine authority.
Key Takeaway
Recognize the limits of human-centric perspectives.
Themes
philosophy
religion
modernism
humanism
epistemology
Mood
reflective
critical
Type
analytical
philosophical
When to use this quote
- Academic debate
- religious discourse
- cultural criticism
- policy analysis
Key Concepts
Renaissance humanism
rationalism
secularism
ontological shift
Questions to Reflect On
- How does centering humanity affect moral judgments?
- What are the risks of dismissing eternal truths?
A Different Perspective
May overlook transcendent values and communal responsibilities.