Ludwig Andreas von Feuerbach is the famous philosopher materialist, the atheist, the uncompromising critic of religion and idealism.
Ludwig Andreas von Feuerbach was born in 1804 in Bavaria. His father - as the criminalist specializing in the field of criminal law very strongly influenced outlook of the son. The last was drawn towards natural sciences too, but was engaged in philosophy later. Studied and later taught in Friedrich Alexander University of Erlangen Nuremberg. Because of the views could not receive a position of professor and died in poverty at the age of 68 years in Nuremberg.
Religion in Feuerbach's understanding
Feuerbach devoted much time for an explanation of understanding of how the religion arose. The reason, will and heart are essence of the person. Essential difference of the person from an animal in consciousness. Animals can have no religion as there is no consciousness.
The scientist considered that the first religions appeared as a result of fear unclear, inexplicable. The ancient people limited to spirit, which did not have knowledge - worshipped mountains, trees, animals, the rivers as to divine beings as all their life and existence depended by nature. People were afraid of a thunder, lightnings, earthquakes and invented gods to whom they worshipped, tried to cajole. In their person looked for defenders and assistants. So the first religions arose.
Feuerbach about god
Feuerbach considered that the essence of God is cheloveyochesky essence rassmatrivayeyomy and esteemed as foreign, separate essence. I.e. the person, having thought up God, attributed him lines which he considered ideal for himself. On it the Greek and Roman gods always high it is also dazzling beautiful - people very much appreciated beauty of a human body.
Any god is the being created by imagination of the person. The image of god is created just like the person, and not vice versa. People represent it out of themselves and in the form of an independent being who is almighty, can solve everything for them, help or punish opposite for their acts, thoughts and insufficient belief. Feuerbach writes in the work ""Essence of Christianity"": ""At first the person unconsciously and involuntarily creates god on the image, and then this god consciously and randomly creates on the image the person"".
Explaining development of religion by the terrestrial reasons, Feuerbach proved that it interferes with development of science and knowledge of the world around as the church and the authorities very jealously treats scientists and in every possible way pursued exercises which called in question essence and acts of God. Feerbakh's life partial to that confirmation, considering that he was not allowed to become professor. The easiest to explain emergence of epidemic with intrigues of a devil or a God's penalty and to condemn and anathematize scientists who studied ways of transfer of a disease, tried to find reasonable an explanation for the events. Feuerbach noted that than less educated person, especially he is tied to religion.