Sartre’s engagement was to accept and take responsibility for one’s political actions. This theory had critical theorists argue. Critical theorists complicate the struggle of engagement by rejecting the idea of totality. Hegel believed in absolute knowledge, bringing everything together in a rational way is Totality. The critical theorists believe that history moves because of opposites in tension but they do not agree upon finding a resolution to history. This they call the negative dialectics. They are skeptical of reason and totality. For enlightenment thinkers total knowledge allows them to engage their world, but for critical theorists, it is a reason for disengaging from the world.
Their thoughts on reason and totality are different from the other philosophers. Enlightenment was a reason to know the world because there is a deep connection between nature and human rationality. Totality is the belief that everything can be put together in a rational way. Critical theorists reject both these ideas. They believe total knowledge would lead to disengagement.
The question of: how can the enlightenment turn into its opposite? It can be addressed by Hegel’s dialectics. Hegel claimed that history moved forward in stages called moments. Ideas are in conflict with one another, but he believed reason, progress, and truth will come together at the end of history. The idea of total knowledge meant totality.
The themes of existentialism and postmodernism had a huge impact on engagement. The existential themes – bad faith and the rejection of metaphysics of presence play a vital role in understanding engagement.
Bad faith is the phenomenon where human beings under pressure gain false values, abolish the freedom to act authentically. Bad faith is a lie for itself and in itself. Freedom is a responsibility.
He says ‘we are condemned to be free’ and we escape into bad faith. Bad faith leads to disengagement of freedom. The understanding of metaphysics of presence is however complicated. Metaphysics of presence determines to be, the conditions of possibility within which the texts, thoughts, and tradition emerge.
These ideas are considered illusions because the philosophers found no proof behind it. The critical theorists continued being skeptical about these ideas. Bad faith is a lie that human beings are not free. Sartre says ‘Existence precedes essence’ – humans have no nature. Humans assume the essence is around them and that they must adhere to it and to pretend that they are in it they fall into bad faith. The other major theme influencing engagement – metaphysics of presence is a complicated term in itself. It means to understand the fundamental nature of being and the world around us, but different philosophers have different opinions about it.
Bad faith leads to disengagement of freedom and metaphysics of presence leads to disengagement of faith in Being. Rejecting these illusions will help us to engage with life. Eliminating bad faith will lead to understanding oneself better and the search for authenticity without getting involved in false beliefs. Understanding the metaphysics of presence and eliminating the in-depth analysis of Being will lead to better engagement with Being and life.
This engagement, after rejecting these illusions will lead to a pure understanding of the world and Being. Rejection of bad faith and metaphysics of presence is the first step towards knowing the essence of Being. Heidegger felt his works on Dasein was too dependent on humans. He meant the truth is laid in front of us with no mystery.
The existential and postmodern themes are complicated and have a huge influence on the engagement. Existential engagement is acting in the sense that we are free conscious. It is in-between modernism and post modernism. Modern philosophy develops the idea of enlightenment, postmodern philosophy deconstructs it. Both existential and postmodernists agree that philosophy is something that will never be complete. Postmodernists argue over the subjectivism and dualism, by abandoning these modern ideas they believe we can engage better with the ambiguity of the world and the mystery of our life.
They do not reject the truth but they are frustrated with modern engagement because it seeks to end itself. Modern certainty is an excuse to disengage. Thus by critiquing bad faith and metaphysics of presence, they hope to find a kind of engagement that would last long.
Both the themes are complicated however, rejection of bad faith speaks to me more than the rejection of metaphysics of presence. Rejection of bad faith leads to the elimination of false beliefs and understanding the true meaning of Being. Rejection of metaphysics of presence also leads to an understanding of Being and the world but not as much as bad faith. Philosophers have different opinions on these ideas and the critical theorists have denied most of them. Post modernism had a huge impact on philosophy. Art came into argument. Philosophy and art went hand in hand. These ideas are hard to understand and the arguments between philosophers make it even more complicated.
As far as engagement is concerned the existential and postmodern themes – Sartrean bad faith and the rejection of metaphysics of presence helps in better understanding of the subject.
