Seeing shadows like the prisoners in the cave of Plato’s simile1, that’s what life of man would be like if he had not the symbol. Without symbols, mans life would be confined within the limits of his biological needs and his practical interests, thus not differentiating himself from other species2. In his “Essay on Man”, Ernst Cassirer examines man’s efforts to understand himself and to deal with the problems of his universe through a creation and use of symbols.
He analyzes the major symbolic forms of human enterprise: Language, Myth, Art, Religion, History, and Science. He discusses these subjects with the help of great thinkers of all times, making annotations on what, in each moment, these persons thought. He explains the point of view of Philosophers, Biologists, Naturalists, Physicists etc, and interprets them in a very unique way, to make the reader understand his point. He goes from Heraclitus to Kierkegaard and Einstein. This essay is a good synthesis of the ability of man to resolve human problems by the simple use of his mind through symbols.3
I have chosen three chapters that caught my attention. I will synthesize what for me is a symbol by looking into chapter II, “A clue to the nature of man: the Symbol” and chapter III, “From animal reactions to human responses”.
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1 Cassirer, Essay on Man. P 41
2 idem. P. 41
3 Cassirer, Essay on Man, back review.
Table of Contents
1 Introduction
2 A clue to the nature of man: The symbol and from animal reactions to human responses
3 Science
4 Conclusion
Objectives and Topics
This essay explores Ernst Cassirer's philosophical framework in "An Essay on Man," specifically examining how the creation and use of symbols differentiate human existence from animal life and facilitate our understanding of the universe through science and cultural expression.
- The distinction between animal reactions and human symbolic responses.
- The definition of man as "animal symbollicum" rather than "animal rationale."
- The evolution of scientific thought as a symbolic tool for understanding reality.
- The relationship between symbolic language, mathematics, and the quest for absolute truth.
Excerpt from the Book
3 Science
From the main explanation of the symbol, I will jump directly to the last chapter, this will give further insight into the thought pipeline in which human civilization is at the moment. To give a brief resume, we analyzed Cassirer´s definition of Symbol. This is the capability of imagination and abstraction, thus giving him the symbolic imagination and symbolic intelligence.
“Science is the last step in man’s mental development and may be regarded as the highest and most characteristic attainment of human culture”
This kind of communicating and understanding the world could not have evolved without the special conditions of a symbolic world. The scientific thought is the most powerful tool of humankind to understand, or try to understand the world as it is.
Summary of Chapters
1 Introduction: Provides an overview of Ernst Cassirer's analysis of symbolic forms and outlines the paper's focus on symbols and scientific evolution.
2 A clue to the nature of man: The symbol and from animal reactions to human responses: Explores the fundamental shift from instinctive animal reactions to human symbolic thought and defines humanity as "animal symbollicum."
3 Science: Examines how scientific inquiry serves as the ultimate symbolic tool for establishing a stable and understandable world.
4 Conclusion: Reflects on how various disciplines, including art and science, utilize symbols to navigate the human search for absolute truth.
Keywords
Ernst Cassirer, An Essay on Man, Symbol, Animal Symbollicum, Symbolic Intelligence, Science, Episteme, Symbolic Language, Human Culture, Determinism, Mathematics, Abstraction, Reality, Philosophy, Perception.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core focus of this academic paper?
The paper examines Ernst Cassirer’s "An Essay on Man," focusing on how the human ability to create and manipulate symbols fundamentally defines our nature and our capacity to understand reality.
What are the primary thematic areas covered?
The main themes include the distinction between animals and humans, the transition from basic reflexes to symbolic responses, the development of language, and the role of science as a symbolic method for interpreting the cosmos.
What is the central goal or research question?
The essay seeks to synthesize Cassirer's theory of symbols to explain how humans evolved from being biological entities to symbolic thinkers who construct their own universe to interpret their existence.
Which scientific methods are analyzed in the work?
The author analyzes the philosophical methodology employed by Cassirer, focusing on conceptual abstraction, the transition from mythological to numerical languages, and the reliance on deterministic structures in science.
What topics are discussed in the main body?
The main body focuses on the definition of symbols, the contrast between animal signals and human symbolic thought, the development of scientific "episteme," and the use of mathematics as an objective symbolic language.
Which keywords characterize the work?
Key terms include "animal symbollicum," symbolic intelligence, symbolic reality, scientific methodology, and human existence.
How does the author distinguish between Symbols and Signals?
The author follows Cassirer's distinction, noting that signals are direct and related to immediate environmental stimuli, whereas symbols are subjective, imaginative, and allow for abstract, universal communication.
Why is "animal symbollicum" a critical term?
This term is highlighted as a replacement for "animal rationale," suggesting that the unique human characteristic is not just reason, but the ability to create and live within a world of constructed symbolic meaning.
What role do numbers play in Cassirer's view of science?
Numbers represent the most advanced stage of symbolic development, providing a "pure" and objective language that allows humanity to describe the universe with logical precision, superseding common speech.
- Quote paper
- Clemens Bauer (Author), 2006, About the Symbol in Cassirer´s: Essay on Man, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/110654
