Duquesne University Duquesne Scholarship Collection Electronic Theses and Dissertations Fall 2004 Thinking Outside Pandora's Box: Now That the Idea of God Has Been Declared Dead, Has All Hope Been Lost for Philosophy and Humankind? Mary Ann Fenicato Follow this and additional works at: https://dsc.duq.edu/etd Recommended Citation Fenicato, M. (2004). Thinking Outside Pandora's Box: Now That the Idea of God Has Been Declared Dead, Has All Hope Been Lost for Philosophy and Humankind? (Doctoral dissertation, Duquesne University). Retrieved from https://dsc.duq.edu/etd/535 This Immediate Access is brought to you for free and open access by Duquesne Scholarship Collection. It has been accepted for inclusion in Electronic Theses and Dissertations by an authorized administrator of Duquesne Scholarship Collection. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Now That the Idea of God Has Been Declared Dead, Has All Hope Been Lost for Philosophy and Humankind? A Dissertation Presented to the Faculty of the Philosophy Department McAnaulty College and Graduate School of Liberal Arts Duquesne University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy by: MaryAnn Fenicato, Esq. November 29, 2004 Copyright: MaryAnn Fenicato, Esq. © 2004 ii PREFACE A. Introduction This dissertation is hereby dedicated to all my sources of inspiration heretofore, i.e., human, canine and divine, and hopefully, also to all those yet to come. 1. Human Mentors To my human mentors, I generally dedicate the following two songs. Special thanks, however, to a certain attorney named Michael, whose formidable legal valiance emulated St. Michael the Archangel, and who, on a personal level, was a truly gentle man who showed me how peaceful heaven will be. a) Because You Loved Me (Artist: Celene Dion) Verses: For all those times you stood by me, For all the truth that you made me see, For all the joy you brought to my life, iii For all the wrong that you made right, For every dream you made come true, For all the love I found in you, I’ll be forever thankful baby, You’re the one who held me up, never let me fall. You’re the one who saw me through, through it all. You gave me wings and made me fly, You touched my hand I could touch the sky, I lost my faith you gave it back to me, You said no star was out of reach, You stood by me and I stood tall, I had your love I had it all. I’m grateful for each day, you gave me, Maybe I don’t know that much, but I know this much is true. I was blessed because I was, loved by you. Crescendo: You were always there for me, the tender wind that carried me, A light in the dark, shining your love into my life, You’ve been my inspiration, through the lies you were the truth, My world is a better place, because of you. Refrain: You were my strength when I was weak, You were my voice when I couldn’t speak, You were my eyes when I couldn’t see, you saw the best there was in me, Lifted me up when I couldn’t reach, you gave me faith ‘coz you believed, I’m everything I am, because you loved me. b) The Wind Beneath My Wings (Artist: Bette Midler) Verses: It must have been cold there in my shadow, To never have sunlight on your face. You were content to let me shine, that’s your way, You always walked a step behind. So, I was the one with all the glory, While you were the one with all the strength. A beautiful face without a name – for so long, A beautiful smile to hide the pain. It might have appeared to go unnoticed, iv But I’ve got it all here in my heart. I want you to know I know the truth, of course I know it, I would be nothing without you. Crescendo: Fly, fly, fly away, You let me fly so high. Oh, fly, fly, So high against the sky, so high I almost touch the sky. Thank you, thank you, thank God for you, The wind beneath my wings. Refrain: Did you ever know that you’re my hero, And everything I would like to be? I can fly higher than an eagle, ‘cause you are the wind beneath my wings. 2. Canine To my little white Maltese dog named “Twinkie”, a true treasure which I often take for granted, I offer the sentiment of the following song which laments various things lost after it is too late: a) Big Yellow Taxi (Artists: Counting Crows & Vanessa Carleson) Selected Verses: They paved paradise and put up a parking lot With a pink hotel, a boutique, and a swingin’ hot spot Listen, late last night, I heard the screen door slam And a big yellow taxi took my girl away v Refrain: Don’t it always seem to go That you don’t know what you’ve got till its gone They paved paradise and put up a parking lot 3. Divine To Jesus Christ our Lord, who actively undertook the most extreme self-negation (not for Himself, but for our sins), lead by example, and practiced what He preached, I raise the following hymn regarding ultimate transcendence: a) I Am the Bread of Life (Seasonal Misalette) Selected Verse: I am the resurrection, I am the life. If you believe in me, even though you die, you shall live forever. Refrain: And I will raise you up, and I will raise you up, and I will raise you up on the last day. B. Summary So, to all my sources of inspiration thus far, I say thank you in Italian: vi ABSTRACT ________________________________________________________________________ Dissertation by: MaryAnn Fenicato, Esq. Dissertation Director: Wilhelm S. Wurzer, Ph.D. ________________________________________________________________________ I. Introduction The time has come. Now that the Idea of God has been declared dead, an egocentric action that opened Pandora’s box, many evils plague humankind. Thus, human life has no meaning. Humanism has been devalued. Philosophy gets no respect. All Hope has been lost. II. Statement of the Problem Philosophy must investigate exactly who declared the death of that Idea and why, who must resurrect that Idea and why, or, perhaps not, and why. III. Description of Procedure or Methods A multifarious method will present a mystery. First, it will differentiate between the Idea of God and God per se to demonstrate why that Idea is still philosophically, psychologically, etc., meaningful for humankind today. It will also reveal that Nietzsche did not declare its death alone, rather, Philosophy’s entire history beginning with Descartes opened the door via: 1) Descartes’ venerable provision of a rational proof of God; and 2) Philosophy’s egocentric usurpation of power from that Idea for-itself, which it has yet to admit. It will also explain the two worst evils that resultingly plague humankind today: 1) debt-capitalism, whereby humans foolishly attempt to fulfill their fundamental lack, and 2) tyrannical deconstructive freedom, which selfishly results in the opposite, slavery. vii IV. Results A crescendo will eventually culminate in an awesome conclusion summoning a Hegelian self-negation of Philosophy, and an Augustinian return to that Idea. V. Conclusion Surprisingly, however, at the very end, it will turn the tables on that seeming conclusion and regain respect for Philosophy per se, by dialectically demonstrating the opposite, that Philosophy supersedes that Idea because it can reflexively recognize and protect humankind from any and all abuse, even abuse that results from that Idea. Most importantly, the question of continued philosophical relevance and the meaning of that Idea will be left open to allow readers to reach their own conclusions by inspiring Hope. viii TABLE OF CONTENTS Pages: Title Page ………………………………………………………………………… N/A Copyright Notice ……………………………………………………………….. N/A Preface …………………………………………………………………………... ii-v Abstract …………………………………………………………………………. vi-vii Table of Contents ………………………………………………………………. viii-xiv List of Illustrations ……………………………………………………………… xv List of Lyrical Intercessions ……………………………………………………… xvi- xvii Prelude ………………………………………………………………………….. xviii- xx Forward ………………………………………………………………………… xxi ________________________________________________________________________ Chapter I: Introduction ………………………..…………………………. 1-10 A. The Purpose of This Dissertation ……………………………… 2-5 B. Brief Thesis Statement ………………………………………… 6 C. Supporting Arguments ………………………………………… 6 D. Methodology …………………………………………………… 7-10 ix 1. Thematic Text: Soaring, Flying and Playing ………….. 7-8 2. Idea Disclaimer and Contact Information …………….. 8 3. Lyrical Lifts: Life Without Music is a Mistake ……….. 8-9 4. Citations to Class Notes: Selfless Action ……………… 9-10 5. Dialectical Dualism: A New Beginning ………………. 10-11 Chapter II: The Idea of God …………………………………………….. 12-42 A. Introduction ………………………………………………….. 13-14 B. God, per se …………………………………………………… 14-15 C. The Idea of God ……………………………………………… 15-26 1. Philosophical Concepts ………………………………. 15-16 2. Psychological, Social and Cultural Aspects …………. 16-23 a) Psychological Aspects …..…………………… 17-23 1) Physiological Needs …………………. 18-20 2) Safety Needs …………………………. 20-22 3) Love, Esteem and Self-Actualization … 22-23 b) Social and Cultural Aspects ………………….. 23-25 3. Hurtful Aspects? ……………………………………… 25-26 D. Happiness is … ………………………………………………. 26-27 E. Humanism ……………………………………………………. 27-28 F. The Specific Idea of Jesus Christ, Our Savior ……………….. 28-39 1. Low = High ………………………………………….. 28-39 a) Inverted Reality………………………………. 28-30 b) Humble Hero…………………………………. 31-34 c) Foundation …………………………………… 34 d) Strength………………………………………. 34-35 e) Role Model…………………………………… 35-38 f) Love………………………………………….. 38-40 2. Resurrection………………………………………….. 40 G. Culture Clowns………………………………………………. 40-41 x H. Chapter Conclusion ………………………………………….. 41-43 Chapter III: The Death of the Idea of God ………………………………. 44-68 A. Introduction …………………………………………………… 45 B. Descartes ……………………………………………………… 45-50 1. Comparison to Ancient Greek Philosophy …………… 45-46 2. Comparison to Medieval Philosophy ………………… 46-47 3. Radical Return to Idea Dei …………………………… 47-48 4. Misapprehension or Ignorance of Non-Philosophers … 48-49 5. Descartes Opened the Door to the Death of Philosophy, and Much More ………………………….