Thought Philosophy of Max Stirner

1 thought

1.1 self
1.2 egoism
1.3 anarchism

1.3.1 property
1.3.2 union of egoists
1.3.3 revolution


1.4 dogma

thought
the self

stirner argues concept of self impossible comprehend; so-called creative nothing described end-point of language .

the unique 1 straightforward, sincere, plain-phrase. end point of our phrase world, of world in beginning word.

in order understand creative nothing , stirner uses poetry , vivid imagery. creative nothing dialectical shortcomings creates need description, meaning.

what stirner says word, thought, concept; means no word, no thought, no concept. says not meant, , means unsayable.

stirner elaborated attempt describe indescribable in essay stirner s critics , written stirner in response feuerbach , others (in custom time, refers himself in third person) :

stirner speaks of unique , says immediately: names name not. articulates word, long calls unique, adds nonetheless unique name. means different says, perhaps calls ludwig not mean ludwig in general, means you, has no word. (...) end point of our phrase world, of world in beginning word.

the ego , own opens , closes quotation goethe reads have taken cause without foundation , unstated next line of poem being …and world mine . 1 of stirner s central ideas in realizing self nothing 1 said own world , because book states in last line: things nothing me [ibidem, p. 324].

by bringing essence prominence 1 degrades hitherto misapprehended appearance bare semblance, deception. essence of world, attractive , splendid, him looks bottom of — emptiness; emptiness — world s essence (world s doings).

[f]or being abstraction, . not abstraction alone: in all, consequently, abstraction or nothing: , nothing; not mere thought, @ same time full of thoughts, thought-world.

i say: liberate far can, , have done part; not given every 1 break through limits, or, more expressively, not limit limit rest. consequently, not tire toiling @ limits of others; enough if tear down yours. [...] overturns 1 of limits may have shown others way , means; overturning of limits remains affair.

stirner describes world-view, in brief, enjoyment , , claims nothingness of non-self unutterable (p. 314) or unnameable (p. 132), unspeakable yet mere word (p. 164; cf. stirner s comments on skeptic concepts ataraxia , aphasia, p. 26).

egoism

stirner has been broadly understood proponent of both psychological egoism , ethical egoism, although latter position can disputed, there no claim in stirner s writing, in 1 ought pursue 1 s own interest, , further claiming ought seen new fixed idea . however, may understood rational egoist in sense considered irrational not act in 1 s self-interest. how self-interest defined, however, subjective, allowing both selfish , altruistic normative claims included. further, rationality end in , of fixed idea .

individual self-realization rests on each individual s desire fulfill egoism. difference between unwilling , willing egoist, former possessed empty idea , believe fulfilling higher cause, being unaware fulfilling own desires happy or secure, , latter, in contrast, person able freely choose actions, aware fulfilling individual desires.

sacred things exist egoist not acknowledge himself, involuntary egoist ... in short, egoist not egoist, , abases himself (combats egoism), @ same time abases himself sake of being exalted , , therefore of gratifying egoism. because cease egoist, looks in heaven , earth higher beings serve , sacrifice himself to; but, shakes , disciplines himself, in end own sake... [on] account call him involuntary egoist.

...as each instant, own creature in creature not wish lose yourself, creator. higher being are, , surpass ... this, involuntary egoist, fail recognize; , therefore higher essence — alien essence. ... alienness criterion of sacred . [ibidem, cambridge edition, pp. 37–8]

the contrast expressed in terms of difference between voluntary egoist being possessor of concepts opposed being possessed. when 1 realizes sacred truths such law, right, morality, religion etc., nothing other artificial concepts, , not obeyed, can 1 act freely. stirner, free both 1 s own creature (in sense of creation ) , 1 s own creator (dislocating traditional role assigned gods). stirner power method of egoism. justified method of gaining property .

even love explained consciously egoistic :

...[love] cuts no better figure other passion [if] obey [it] blindly. ambitious man, carried away ambition... has let passion grow despot against whom abandons power of dissolution; has given himself because cannot dissolve himself, , consequently cannot absolve himself passion: possessed.

- love men, too, not merely individuals, every one. love them consciousness of egoism; love them because love makes me happy, love because loving natural me, pleases me. know no commandment of love . have fellow-feeling every feeling being, , torment torments, refreshment refreshes me too... [ibidem, p. 258]

however, stirner cautioned against reification of egoist or subject:

the egoist, before whom humane shudder, spook as devil is: exists bogie , phantasm in brain. if not unsophisticatedly drifting , forth in antediluvian opposition of , evil, have given modern names of human , egoistic, not have freshened hoary sinner egoist either, , put new patch on old garment. [second part: owner: 3 – self enjoyment]

anarchism

stirner proposes commonly accepted social institutions—including notion of state, property right, natural rights in general, , notion of society—were mere illusions or ghosts in mind, saying of society individuals reality. stirner wants abolish not state society institution responsible members.

he advocated egoism , form of amoralism, in individuals unite in unions of egoists when in self-interest so. him, property comes through might: whoever knows how take, defend, thing, him belongs property. and, have in power, own. long assert myself holder, proprietor of thing. says, not step shyly property, upon property, in respect nothing. pray call property! stirner considers world , in it, including other persons, available 1 s taking or use without moral constraint —that rights not exist in regard objects , people @ all. sees no rationality in taking interests of others account unless doing furthers 1 s self-interest, believes legitimate reason acting. denies society being actual entity: conquerors form society 1 may imagine great degrees embraces humanity; so-called humanity such thought (spook); individuals reality . (the ego , own, tucker ed., p. 329).

stirner never referred markets , philosophy on property causes problems market system, because according proponents of markets property not considered legitimate if taken force. stirner opposed communism, seeing form of authority on individual. said in ego , own:

property

stirner has concept of egoistic property, in referring absence of moral restrictions on how individual uses in world, including other people. stirner, property come through might: whoever knows how take, defend, thing, him belongs property. have in power, own. long assert myself holder, proprietor of thing. says, not step shyly property, upon property, in respect nothing. pray call property! . position on property different prevalent form of individualist anarchism, defended inviolability of private property has been earned through labour. however, american individualist anarchist benjamin tucker rejected natural rights philosophy , adopted stirner s egoism in 1886, several others joining him. since radical anarchist, preferred political-economic social condition anti-statist, anti-capitalist, , anti-authoritarian void of authoritarian monopolies (whether positioned property or sovereignty) enemies of individual liberation. stirner s egoist anarchism freeing individual domination of property monopolists such monarchs, governments, or industrialists while @ same time, egoist anarchism positions against anti-individualist nature of traditional political left. stirner had no concrete dogma on issue of property , urged individuals stop being ruled others regardless of authorities moral claims political sovereignty or property rights.

union of egoists

stirner s idea of union of egoists , first expounded in ego , own. union understood non-systematic association, stirner proposed in contradistinction state. union understood relation between egoists continually renewed parties support through act of will. union requires parties participate out of conscious egoism. if 1 party silently finds suffering, puts , keeps appearance, union has degenerated else. union not seen authority above person s own will.

revolution

stirner criticizes conventional notions of revolution, arguing social movements aimed @ overturning state tacitly statist because implicitly aimed @ establishment of new state thereafter. illustrate argument, compares own social , moral role of jesus christ:

the time [in jesus lived] politically agitated that, said in gospels, people thought not accuse founder of christianity more if arraigned him political intrigue , , yet same gospels report precisely 1 took least part in these political doings. why not revolutionary, not demagogue, jews gladly have seen him? [...] because expected no salvation change of conditions, , whole business indifferent him. not revolutionary, caesar, insurgent: not state-overturner, 1 straightened himself up. [...] [jesus] not carrying on liberal or political fight against established authorities, wanted walk own way, untroubled about, , undisturbed by, these authorities. [...] but, though not ringleader of popular mutiny, not demagogue or revolutionary, (and every 1 of ancient christians) more insurgent lifted himself above seemed sublime government , opponents, , absolved himself remained bound [...]; precisely because put him upsetting of established, deadly enemy , real annihilator...

as stirner specifies in footnote (p. 280), here using word insurgent in etymological sense ; thus, rise above religion , government of 1 s own times , take control of 1 s life no consideration of them, not overthrow them. contrasts method of revolutionary brings change of conditions displacing 1 government another:

the revolution aimed @ new arrangements; insurrection leads no longer let ourselves arranged, arrange ourselves, , sets no glittering hopes on institutions . not fight against established [...] working forth of me out of established. [...] now, object not overthrow of established order elevation above it, purpose , deed not political or social (as directed toward myself , ownness alone) egoistic purpose indeed.

stirner writing people liberating own limits , rising above limiting social, political , ideological conditions, , each walk own way. passages quoted above incompatible david leopold s conclusion (in introduction cambridge university press edition) stirner ...saw humankind fretted in dark superstition denied sought enlightenment , welfare (ibidem, p. xxxii). stirner refused describe himself directly liberating others. stated purpose in these quotations seems to achieve enlightenment , welfare of others way of demonstration , insurrection defines it.

dogma

the passages quoted above show few points of contact between stirner s philosophy , christianity. merely jesus annihilator of established biases , preconceptions of rome stirner can relate to. reason citing cultural change sparked jesus, wants christian ideologies of 19th century europe collapse, ideology of heathen rome did before (e.g., [the christian era] end casting off of ideal, contempt spirit , p. 320). classical skeptics before him, stirner s method of self-liberation opposed faith or belief; envisions life free dogmatic presuppositions (p. 135, 309) or fixed standpoint (p. 295). not merely christian dogma thought repudiates, wide variety of european atheist ideologies condemned crypto-christian putting ideas in equivalent role:

among many transformations, holy spirit became in time absolute idea [in hegelian philosophy], again in manifold refractions split different ideas of philanthropy, reasonableness, civic virtue, , on. [...] antiquity, @ close, had gained ownership of world when had broken world s overpoweringness , divinity , recognised world s powerlessness , vanity .

[...] [the philosophers of our time say] concepts decide everywhere, concepts regulate life, concepts rule. religious world [of our time], hegel gave systematic expression, bringing method nonsense , completing conceptual precepts rounded, firmly-based dogmatic. sung according concepts , real man, i, compelled live according these conceptual laws. [...]

liberalism replaced christian concepts humanist ones; human instead of divine, political instead of ecclesiastical, scientific instead of doctrinal etc.

the thinker distinguished believer believing more latter, who, on part, thinks of less signified faith (creed). thinker has thousand tenets of faith believer gets along few; former brings coherence tenets, , take coherence in turn scale estimate worth by. p. 304

what stirner proposes not concepts should rule people, people should rule concepts. nothingness of truth rooted in nothingness of self, because ego criterion of (dogmatic) truth. again, stirner seems closely comparable skeptics in radical epistemology directs emphasise empirical experience (the unmediated relationship of mind world, , world mind) leaves limited validity category of truth . when regard impressions of senses detachment, (e.g., neither nor evil), may still correctly assign truth them.

christianity took away things of world irresistibleness [...]. in manner raise myself above truths , power: above sensual, above truth. before me truths common , indifferent things; not carry me away, , not inspire me enthusiasm. there exists not 1 truth, not right, not freedom, humanity, etc., has stability before me, , subject myself. [...] in words , truths [...] there no salvation me, little there christian in things , vanities. riches of world not make me happy, neither truths. [...] along worldly goods, sacred goods must put away no longer valuable. (p. 307)

truths material, vegetables , weeds; whether vegetable or weed, decision lies in me. (p. 313)

in place of such systems of beliefs, stirner presents detached life of non-dogmatic, open-minded engagement world (unpolluted faith of kind, christian or humanist), coupled awareness there no soul, no personal essence of kind, individual s uniqueness consists solely in creative nothingness prior concepts.