Philosophical Realism: From Ancient Roots to Modern Thought

Philosophical Realism: Ancient to Modern Eras

In universal philosophy, realism predominated until the modern age, forming a significant block within philosophical thought. The first line of argument stems from the characteristics of philosophical realism, which lasted until the sixteenth century, and its opposition to idealism.

Ancient Philosophy: Cosmos and Essence

From the Pre-Socratics, knowledge was applied to answer the question about the arche of physis—the origin of the cosmos—giving more weight to nature itself than to the subject. This explains the Platonic assertion that man is social by nature. According to ancient philosophy, the cosmos governs all, and its origin must be found. Plato found the answer in the Idea of the Good, stating: "it [the Idea of the Good] is the cause of all that is straight and beautiful in all things [...] it is the sovereign and producer of truth and knowledge." In this same vein, his student Aristotle also sought the origin of the universe, finding it in his concept of essence.

Medieval Philosophy: God's Predominance

In the Middle Ages, both St. Augustine, Thomas Aquinas, and St. Anselm, among others, distinguished themselves by their desire to reconcile Christian doctrine with Western (Greek) thought. Unlike Greek philosophy, in the Middle Ages, God occupied the predominant place in the world, relegating nature and the subject to the background. Scholasticism promulgated underlying Platonic teachings of divine omnipotence: "only the deity knows if anything is right."

Modern Philosophy: The Subject's Rise

By contrast, in the sixteenth century, Descartes inaugurated a new concept of philosophy, where the individual acquired central importance. This focus on the person manifested in the more abstract (res cogitans), in the sensible world (e.g., the worker for Marx), or in both (as in Ortega's claim: "I am myself and my circumstance").

Political Philosophy: Ideal States

Another line of argument stems from the political background of Plato's work, which culminates in The Republic. While in the modern era, John Locke advocated for a strong state based on the free agreement of human beings to protect property and guarantee order, Plato proposed the creation of an ideal state ruled by an aristocracy of philosophers who had perceived the World of Ideas: "one is bound to see who wants to proceed wisely in private or public life." Similarly, in medieval philosophy, the ideal state model was based on the ruler's deep faith, aiming to establish a just state that sought to bring about the Heavenly City ruled by God. God was conceived as the Idea of the Good, the "cause of all that is straight and beautiful in things" and the "sovereign and producer of truth and knowledge."