Activism
Activism
(Lat. activus, from agere, to act) The philosophical theory which considers activity, particularly spiritual activity, to be the essence of reality. The concept of pure act (actus purus) traceable to Aristotle’s conception of divinity, was influential in Scholastic thought, and persists m Leibniz, Fichte and modern idealism. — L.W.
Negatively, a repudiation of the intellectualistic persuasion that an adequate solution of the truth problem can be found through an abstract intellectual inquiry. Positively, a view of action as the key to truth, similar to Fichte’s view. The true and sound standard of action is an independent spiritual life, independent in bringing the world .and life in accord with its values. Spiritual life grows by the active aid of human cooperation to ever higher dimensions. Spiritual being is achieved by the vital deeds of individuals. (Eucken) — H.H.
In the Personalistic sense activism applies not only to the continuous creative willing which underlies all reality but also to knowledge which calls for an unceasing divine activity which is a sort of occasionalism. (MalebrancheRecherche de la verite, Book I,, Chap. XIV.) Charles Secretan”To be is to act.” — R.T.F.