Philosophical Spiritualism and Materialism

Definition
The word spiritualism is used within philosophy to classify systems of thought that affirm the existence of realities beyond the physical realm, ie. a supernatural or spiritual world.
Philosophical Spiritualism embraces a wide number of diverse philosophies, and can apply to any that accept the concepts of an immortal soul or god. It is associated with the philosophical school of idealism, especially in Europe.

Difference between Spiritualism (philosophy) and Materialism

Philosophical Spiritualism takes either the form of Monism, e.g. Johann Gottlieb Fichte, George Berkeley; or more moderate form of Dualism, e.g. Thomas Hobbes and Pierre Gassendi and Feuerbach. In American, Ralph Waldo Emerson and Amos Bronson Alcott, (1799-1888)
*1) Epistemological Proof
*2) Teleological Proof
*3) Ethical Proof
*4) Inefficacy and Uselessness of Mind in the Materialist View
*5) Psychological Proof

Chart of comparison

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Materialism	Spiritualism
top>"Arial,Helvetica" size=-1>• Monism: only one substance exists, for materialism, this substance is matter.	top>"Arial,Helvetica" size=-1>Dualism: two substances exists, matter & mind or in spiritualist monism, only mind exists.
top>"Arial,Helvetica" size=-1>• Humankind can be known or described by only matter.	top>"Arial,Helvetica" size-1>Humankind does not consist of only matter.
top>• Absence of beliefs in "supernatural"; atheism.	top>"Arial,Helvetica" size=-1>Beliefs : God, soul, next world, reincarnation, superstitions, supernatural systems of explanation.
top>"Arial,Helvetica" size=-1>• Humankind has an illusion of autonomy. It is subjected to determinism or random.	top>"Arial,Helvetica" size-1>Humankind is autonomous or free.
top>• Self-consciousness is an illusion that is generated by the complexity of the organization of matter.	top>"Arial,Helvetica" size-1>Soul is autonomous.
top>• Absence of meaning to life. Humankind fixes itself his own destiny.	top>"Arial,Helvetica" size=-1>Spiritual finality often of divine origin.
top>"Arial,Helvetica" size=-1>• Humankind, as an animal like another, is a part of nature.	top>"Arial,Helvetica" size-1>Humankind dominates nature.
top>• Humankind is a product of evolution.	top>"Arial,Helvetica" size=-1>Creationism
top>"Arial,Helvetica" size=-1>• What are called "mysteries" are only questions unsolved by sciences.	top>"Arial,Helvetica" size=-1>There are mysteries that the Humankind reason cannot and will never be able to solve.
top>"Arial,Helvetica" size=-1>• Our ignorance must be accepted.	top>"Arial,Helvetica" size=-1>Ignorance is transformed into transcendence "stopgap" or substitute, like God.
top>"Arial,Helvetica" size=-1>• Priority is given to the research of the "how".	top>"Arial,Helvetica" size=-1>Priority is given to the research of the "why".
top>"Arial,Helvetica" size=-1>• Knowledge.	top>"Arial,Helvetica" size=-1>Faith.
top>"Arial,Helvetica" size=-1>• Perception.	top>"Arial,Helvetica" size=-1>Speculation.

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