The Real Problem of the West

The tragedy of the Western world lies in its long-standing lack of a life-giving philosophy. Christianity failed to provide a comprehensive system of life. As a result, Western man, deprived of divine guidance, was forced to rely solely on human intellect and reasoning, and consequently failed to establish a balanced and holistic system. These failures led to a state of despair, and over time, the need for a comprehensive philosophy of life was outright denied.

Modern Western thought has evolved along lines that fragment the unity of life. Descartes was the first to deny the unity of spirit and matter. His philosophy of dualism posited that spirit and matter are two independent entities. Leibniz took this further by proposing the idea of multiple independent entities, suggesting that every soul or essence is a universe in itself, with its own distinct existence and unique perspective reflecting the whole cosmos. Under the influence of Locke and Hume, the importance of quantity grew while the value of quality diminished. Advancements in physics and mathematics accelerated this trend, leading to Western thought's defining characteristic: a retreat from the whole to the fragment. Modern intellectuals refer to this phenomenon as atomism or fragmentation.

This intellectual trend caused disorder and fragmentation in every sphere of life. The concept of a global state was replaced by the idea of the nation-state, leading to the division of the Roman Empire into smaller national states. Religion was entirely separated from politics, and individualism began to dominate political thought. In economics, specialization and divisive tendencies emerged, and industrial and commercial progress followed these lines. Nationalism, secularism, individualism, and industrialism are products of this mindset.

The logical outcome of this Western tendency was the absence of a unified philosophy of life that could bring harmony to all aspects of human existence. Secularism and materialism are negative movements; they cannot provide a positive system of life. This is why each field developed on separate foundations and along different cultural lines, leaving no unity in life. For instance, the economy moves in one direction, society in another, politics in a different manner, and morality and culture in yet another. Multiple standards emerged, and no single measure remained to evaluate all aspects of life.

The modern fragmentation of European life cannot be understood without grasping this reality. When a student of history observes the coexistence of democracy in politics with industrial oppression and worker exploitation in economics, or when they see imperialism side by side with the ideals of liberty, they are left confused. This contradiction exists because while there is agreement on negative principles, no positive philosophy of life exists to unite life's various spheres while providing comprehensive intellectual and practical guidance.

This lack of unity has resulted in fragmented progress in different fields, leading to the internal disarray of Western civilization today.