“The great fundamental question in philosophy, especially of recent philosophy, is regarding the question of relation between being and consciousness.”
– Engels (Ludwig Feuerbach and the End of Classical German Philosophy)
Philosophy began with the quest to understand the universe. Some fundamental questions of all schools of philosophy are “Which is primary, the Universe (matter, being, or, nature) or the Consciousness (spirit, thinking, or, mind) ?”, and “Is our thinking capable of the cognition of the real world ?”. Engels said, “The answers which the philosophers gave to these questions split them into two great camps. Those who asserted the primacy of the spirit to nature and, therefore, in the last instance, assumed world creation in some form or other…comprised the camp of idealism. The others, who regarded nature as primary, belong to the various schools of materialism.”
Idealism : The material world arises out of and exists due to consciousness/spirit Idealism asserts that “Consciousness is primary, Nature is secondary ”, i.e., the material world arises out of and exists due to the consciousness or idea that exists outside and independent of the material world. Idealism negates the real existence of the material world. Idealism considers the universe as non-cognisable. Therefore, it assumes the world as a creation.
Idealism tries to make people believe that the existence of classes, class exploitation, the wretched conditions of the working masses, and the luxurious life of the exploiting classes – all are nothing but illusions. Idealism is the philosophical basis for religion. The ruling classes utilise religion and idealist philosophy as powerful weapons to perpetuate class exploitation.
Materialism : The material world exists outside and is independent of consciousness
“Materialism is the recognition of ‘objects in themselves’ or objects outside the mind; the ideas and sensations are copies or images of these objects. The opposite doctrine (idealism) says: ‘The objects do not exist, outside the mind’; they are ‘connections of sensations’.”
– Lenin (Materialism and Empirio-criticism)
Materialism regards Nature as primary and consciousness as secondary. The material world or nature exists outside and is independent of consciousness or the spiritual realm. It exists independently of whether we are conscious of it or not. Its motion and development are governed by laws which can be known. Contrary to Idealism, materialism says that consciousness depends on the material world. Consciousness is the product of matter. The material world has been in existence, without any necessity of a creator. There are no supernatural phenomena or forces, nor can there be. Human beings are only a part of nature, and consciousness is a property of living beings. Nature exists objectively, that is, outside and independent of the human mind. Human beings perceive nature through the sense organs. The senses are the means that convey the external world to the brain. Only after that, there are thoughts, opinions, and decisions. Hence, the consciousness of the human being is the reflection of the physical world. The matter, external reality, exists independently of the mind. Engels said, “All ideas are taken from the experience, are reflections – true or distorted – of reality.” Materialism says human beings not only observe and understand the real world but can change it and in doing so, change themselves. Materialism took different forms in its historical development:
-Spontaneous Materialism or Ancient Materialism (BCE 7th – 1st centuries) (e.g. Lokayata, Sankhya, Nyaya-Vaisheshika, etc.
Materialism of Heraclitus, Democritus, etc.)
-Mechanical Materialism (CE 17th – 18th centuries) (e.g. Materialism of Francis Bacon, John Locke, Denis Diderot, Benedict Spinoza, Ludwig Feuerbach, etc.)
-Dialectical and Historical materialism or, Scientific Materialism (CE 19th – 20th centuries) (e.g. Materialism of Marx, Engels, Lenin, Mao, etc.)
Materialism before Marx and Engels were either metaphysical or mechanistic, their understanding of nature was ahistoric, and they failed to extend materialism to the study of human society. Their conceptions were not based on scientific foundations. Marx and Engels advanced it and extended it to the laws of motion, change, and development of nature, society, and human thought. The dialectical materialism developed by Marx and Engels advanced it beyond the dogmatic assumptions. It divorced materialism from the metaphysical method of analysis and united materialism with dialectics. Engels defined materialism as, “simply the conception of nature as it is, without any reservations”.
Materialist philosophy stands in opposition to religion and religious beliefs. It provides a guide throughout life, showing the correct way of solving the philosophical problems that agitate human minds. Marxism is the materialist conception of the world. Lenin said, “The philosophy of Marxism is materialism”. It tries to discover the laws which govern the movement of human society. Marxism is the weapon of the proletariat. Mao said, “On the one hand, owing to its own interest the oppressing class must develop and reinforce its idealist doctrines. On the other hand, the oppressed classes, likewise in their own interest, must develop and reinforce their materialist doctrines. Both idealism and materialism are weapons in the class struggle, and the struggle between idealism and materialism cannot disappear so long as classes continue to exist”.
