Pantheism is a different kind of theory in philosophy. According to that everything is God (here 'pan' means "everything" and 'theos' means "god") or that the Universe and nature are divine. According to this theory, all is God and God is all. It identifies God with the world and God is identical with God. Pantheism regards God as wholly immanent in the world. It regards God as the only reality; God is the one substance, which has infinite attributes. Only we have known about thought and extension. The human mind is a modification of infinite thought. On the other hand, the human body is a modification of infinite extension. There is no real existence of any finite soul. Everything follows necessarily from the nature of the divine substance. There is no purpose in nature. Everywhere is necessary.
Man experiences everything to follow necessarily from the nature of God. Another famous philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche says that in reality, human life, the earth, the Universe, have no purpose or meaning. He strongly says "We invented the concept of purpose. In reality purpose is lacking ... We are necessary, we are a piece of destiny, we belong to the whole, and we are in the whole."
Pantheism is different from Panentheism, which holds that God is in everything, but also transcends the Universe. But, strict pantheism is not a theism (Which theory does believe that God transcends the world, and is immanent in it). It does not believe in a transcendent or personal God who is the creator of the Universe and the judge of human being. Many pantheists feel the word "God" is too loaded with these connotations. So, never use the word in their own practice – though they may use it to simplify' or to explain things to theists. Pantheism always rejects atheism idea of personal creator or God.
Strict or naturalistic pantheism believes that the Universe either originated itself out of nothing, or it has existed forever. But modern scientific pantheism is hold materialistic point of view. It believes that design in the Universe can be fully accounted for by principles of evolution and self-organization. It does not believe in separate spirits or survival of the soul after death. Pantheists concerned about personal immortality seen it in realistic ways. This theory strictly oppose to transcendental religions and supernatural beliefs as does atheism. It is a secular religion firmly rooted in the real world of the senses and of science.
We may see that, this form of Pantheism is identical with movements variously called religious atheism, affirmative atheism, Monism or Cosmism. Moreover it is also very close to Taoism, some forms of Chinese and Japanese Buddhism, and neo-Confucianism. But, Strict Pantheism differs from conventional atheism, only in its emotional and also ethical response to the material universe. Conventional atheism simply focuses on criticizing transcendental beliefs and religions. But, Pantheism also stresses the positive aspect of life and nature; the deep aesthetic and emotional responses which most people feel towards nature and the night sky.
Naturalistic pantheism draws ethical conclusions from these kinds of feelings. They say humans should seek a closer harmony with nature. We should preserve bio-diversity and the ecological balance of the planet, not just as a matter of survival, but as a matter of personal fulfillment. For this reason the Pantheist philosopher Spinoza, realized two profound things, that 'All is one' (God, Nature) and that Motion is fundamental to existence. So, according to this theory one thing must exist that is common and connects the many things within the Universe. According to Leibniz: 'Reality cannot be found except in one single source, because of the inter-connection off all things with one another.'
So, Pantheism offers ways of expressing these feelings that how we links with nature, the solar system and the Universe. It regards all physical bodies are part of a great chain of emanation. Humans are, on every level, expression of God.
Now, here arises so many questions against this philosophy; how this philosophy can able to explain our inadequate or false ideas. Moreover our phenomenal knowledge of ourselves and of the world never can be explained by this theory. Because it never can be accepted that the world of appearance or inadequate notions of the world as a part of eternal and adequate God.
In this essay, it is not my intention to vivid this philosophy with its criticisms. I just want to explain that how much this theory is relevant nowadays. A human being is a part of the whole called by us Universe. We experience ourselves, our thoughts and feelings as something separate from nature. But nature and human being are not separable. Both are inter-related. But nowadays we are also hold to a materialistic point of view. It also created many serious problems to our life. This type of point of view creates disorder in our biosphere and in mankind. Man becomes inhuman and he forgets the ideal philosophy of life. Now he becomes a selfish giant, whose inner progress is stopped.
Though 'All is one and interconnected' it is not a new concept. This is the most fundamental believe which became formulate from the ancient philosophers. They known that, one thing must exist that is common to and which connects the many things within the Universe. But this old human speculative thought is now steal necessary to revive for connect the whole human being as a family. Today, we want to emerge with this, spiritual tradition, which is far from any limited religious concept.
So, we may see that Pantheism also offers a positive ecological philosophy to our current destructive and isolated world. It is able to realize our connection to the Universe. This Universe or God reveals himself in the orderly harmony of what exists, not a God who concerns himself with the fates and actions of human beings.
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