What was Eucken's central philosophy?
My central philosophy revolves around the concept of the 'Spiritual Life' as the true essence of human existence. I argued passionately against deterministic and materialistic views that reduce human beings to mere biological or social mechanisms. Instead, I emphasized the active, creative role of the human spirit, its inherent drive towards meaning, and its capacity to shape reality. This dynamism, this constant striving, is what I termed the 'active principle'. My work, particularly *Der Kampf um den Sinn des Lebens*, explores this vital struggle to imbue life with meaning, a struggle that is fundamentally spiritual in its nature and deeply rooted in our ethical imperatives.
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