IDEALISM. (From Fr. idéalisme or G. idealismus; der. from idea: L. idea; Gr. idea, a form, the look or appearance of a thing as opposed to its reality, from idein, to see). Platonism and neo-Platonism are frequently referred to as idealist philosophies, but since from the perspective of the theory of universals these philosophers are considered "realist" because of their claim that ideas are "real," the application of the term i. to these currents of thought is questionable. It is preferable, therefore, to speak in philosophical terms of modern i. as related to gnoseology and metaphysics. In general, these philosophers take as the starting point for their reflection, not the world around them ("external" to them), but the "I," ego, or consciousness, and it is precisely because the "I" or ego produces ideas and representations, that the term i. becomes justified. From the gnoseological point of view, the basic question is: "How do things come to be known?", and from the metaphysical point of view "to be" means "to be given in consciousness." I. thus turns out to be a way of understanding "being." This does not, however, mean that i. tries to reduce being or reality to consciousness or to the subject.

In addition, the term i. is often used in connection with ideals, and hence we designate as "idealist" anyone who holds that human actions should be guided by ideals (whether attainable or not). In this way, the term i. comes to have ethical and/or political connotations. In this sense, the attitude of i. is frequently contrasted with that of realism, taking the latter to confer the highest importance on the "realities" or "events" that are perceived, without taking into account the perspective from which they are studied.

I. is also understood as a particular focus on social life, which denies any decisive role to economic and technological factors, explaining events or facts in terms of the subjective characteristics of the population group. Here, idealists reject the influence of patterns or regularities in the development of civilization. Regarding the latter focus, the humanist school appreciates the enormous power of the subjective factor, just as it places high value on concepts and myths in the life of the people, but at the same time it sees in these formations of the consciousness the effects of the conditions of social life.

A distinction has frequently been drawn between i. and materialism (*), though this is less than precise since there are exponents of each system who have important points of intersection with those of the other. At the non-academic level of information, there is considerable confusion surrounding terms such as "idealism" and "subjectivism," "materialism" and "objectivism," etc. Different ideological currents have systematically modified the scope and significance of these words in order to refute contrary positions, and this has ended up invalidating all sides. Today, to accuse someone of being "idealistic" or "materialistic" is of no great consequence, neither term having any real pejorative meaning; outside of specialized circles, these words have simply lost any precise meaning.

IMMIGRATION. (from immigrate: L. immigratus, pp. of immigrare, to go or remove into). Act of arriving in a country in order to take up residence in it. This step is taken for objectives that may be personal (reuniting a family), economic (seeking work, decent wages, etc.), or political (fleeing political persecution, to save one’s life, seeking personal dignity, the right to write and publish works, engage in artistic or journalistic activity, etc.).

The majority of immigrants seek refuge from civil wars, genocide, religious persecution, "ethnic cleansing," etc.

I. is divided into legal i., in which immigrants enter a country having fulfilled all the legal requirements established by law; and illegal i., in which immigrants are undocumented and violate the requirements for entry.

Currently, the extent of migration from the impoverished South to the rich North is of enormous dimension, reflecting the dynamics of the world labor market, since those who immigrate, especially illegally, earn unconscionably low wages. In Europe, the United States, and other countries, immigrants also suffer the consequences of discrimination.

I. has economic, social, political, religious, and psychological consequences; it leads to increases in social tension and reactions of racism, xenophobia, and fascism, which are exploited by the ruling oligarchies to take the offensive against social programs and entitlements, civil liberties, etc.

Humanist politics emphasizes a concern for human rights, including the rights of immigrants, that is important in order to accomplish the task of humanizing social development and to diminish the negative aspects of the processes of regional integration, which are currently stimulating major migrations.

IMPERIALISM. (from imperial: OFr. imperial; L. imperialis, pertaining to an empire or emperor, from imperium, an empire, command; from imperare, to command). The policies of a State that tends to place neighboring populations and states under its political, economic, or military control. In this sense, the political annexation of territory is the clearest case of i.

Around 1880 there began a period of uninterrupted acquisition of colonies in Africa by certain European powers, and in the Orient by Japan. This stage can be categorized as neo-colonialism (*). Due to their later unification or industrialization, Germany, Italy, and Japan did not succeed in obtaining colonies until the beginning of the twentieth century, and in addition to their neo-colonial behavior, they threw themselves into wars of conquest and annexation, thus setting in motion contemporary i.

At the end of the Second World War, superpowers with global ambitions emerged, giving further impetus to the imperialist practice of annexation, military intervention, and political and economic domination, as exemplified by the capitalist imperialism of the United States and by Stalinist social-imperialism. Today, North American i. continues to advance, even though, in its internal political structure, the United States still maintains the form of a federal republic and formal democracy, which prevents it being labeled an "empire" in an internal, structural sense. In reality, after the fifteenth century, what have been called empires have been metropolitan structures which developed more or less extensive colonial activities. (*colonialism).

INDIVIDUALISM. (from individual: LL. individualis; L. individuus, indivisible, inseparable). A moral position that places the highest priority on personal, private interest over interpersonal, collective, or social interest. The positive aspect of this orientation consists in the affirmation of individual liberty (*). The negative aspect is apparent in its selfishness and disregard for the interests of others. I. takes as absolute the biological dimension of the human being, at the expense of the spiritual or social; it overlooks or undervalues the difference between the concepts of "individual" and "personality." However, the opposition between personal interest and social interest is not in fact insoluble because these interests coincide in what is essential, because social interest can only be realized through the activities of concrete human beings and not through the actions of supra-human entities.

In philosophy, the development of i. follows a line that runs from Protagoras to hedonism and Epicureanism. During the Renaissance, i. for the most part played a progressive role, expressing the aspiration for the liberation of the human being from feudal chains. Individualist extremism found an echo in the anarchist doctrines of Stirner and Bakunin.

INITIATIVE. (from initial: L. initialis, pertaining to the beginning, initial, from initium, a beginning, from inire, to go into, to enter upon, begin). Expression of the social activity of human beings when they take it upon themselves to make a decision that involves their personal participation in some sphere of social life.

In moral terms, i. is characterized by the disposition of a person who voluntarily assumes greater responsibility than that customarily expected in the environment. I. is marked by an inclination toward innovative conduct in the psychosocial structure of the individual, and the presence of a predisposition toward leadership.

The presence or absence of this form of conduct shows the degree to which a society has created the necessary premises for the liberty of the human being, and whether it will be able to sustain the necessary social dynamism for continued development, or instead will stagnate, an indication that such a society is on the verge of collapse.

Humanism strives to stimulate and cultivate this valuable social quality in the greatest possible number of people and to create the psychological, social, and political premises necessary to its development.

INNER LANDSCAPE. Configuration of reality corresponding to the perception of the internal senses as filtered through the data of memory and the intentional posture of the consciousness, which varies according to the state of sleep, vigil (wakefulness), emotions, interest, etc. From the psychosocial point of view, the study of the i.l. of a society permits an understanding of the basic system of tensions at work in given circumstances, and the configuration of images articulated as beliefs (*belief) and as myths. The i.l. is experienced in the position or posture of the consciousness "toward the inside," which has as a reference the internal register of the tactile-coenesthetic boundary (*external landscape).

INNOVATION. (LL. innovatio (-onis), from L. innovatus, pp. of innovare, to renew, to innovate). Action and effect of changing or altering things and ideas or images, introducing new elements and developments.

Process of introducing new products and technologies into the economic system, which can significantly change its capacity and improve quality. This process has several phases: technical invention, small-scale testing, and general introduction and use based on general recognition of its economic results and the existence of demand.

I. not only brings about technological changes, but leads to changes in economic and social structure. Innovations mark the beginning of the processes of modernization of society and create the premises for resolving the crises of a given moment.

INTENTIONALITY. (from intention: L. intentio (-onis), a stretching out, extension, purpose, from intendere, to stretch out, intend). A complex concept that reflects the unity and interaction of the various processes that predetermine some of the practical behavior of the human being. I. comprises a chain of events: 1) a recognition or evaluation, either intuitive or rational, of some desire as an aspiration toward an objective; 2) a formulation for oneself and others of the meaning of this objective; 3) a choice of means for its attainment; 4) practical action for its realization. In this way we can conceive an i. as the determining basis, force, and energy of any creative activity of the human being, including the creation of one’s own life. Without i. there is no existence.

More rigorously, i. has been defined since Brentano as the fundamental characteristic of consciousness. Since the establishment and development of Husserl’s phenomenological method and the contribution of the existentialist currents of thought (*existentialism), intentionality has emerged as what is substantive in all human phenomena.

INTERNATIONALISM. (pref. inter-: L. inter-, between, among; and national, from nation: OF. nacion, nation, from L. natic (-onis), birth, a race, people, from natus, pp. of nasci, to be born). I. and the various internationalist doctrines recognize important distinctions among themselves, involving on occasion positions irreconcilably opposed, as is the case of the concept of internationalist imperialism (globalization) and the concept of internationalist N.H. (*planetarization).

Since Antiquity, empires have sacrificed local and regional realities on the altar of i. In the West, the Holy Roman Empire opposed the remnants of feudalism with a broader concept, which could be characterized as having an "internationalist" orientation. Later, and especially following the American and French Revolutions, the idea of the nation state (*) took shape based on a defined territory, a single language, and a certain cultural homogeneity, and to the detriment of the local realities of the State’s internal regions and towns. Subsequently, a number of socialist movements based their i. on the cooperation of the proletariat, independent of national identity.

N.H. is internationalist, with the condition that cultural and regional diversity are to be respected. It establishes its i. specifically on the "convergence of diversity toward a universal human nation." N.H. encourages the creation of regional federations as well as a world confederation based on a system of real democracy  (*).

I. is a position opposed to nationalism (*). It emphasizes a determining reality greater than that of the nation state, a reality in which societies will begin to experience and comprehend the current existence of an oppressive global system urgently in need of change. As imperialist i. advances and progressively eliminates the nation state, inequality, discrimination, and exploitation will increase, but we will also see in the concentration of imperialist power the growth of disorder that will lead to increasing disorder and chaos. In this emergency, internationalists will identify their interests with those of all humanity, which is suffering the effects of this single, globalized system.

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We invite everyone to participate with us in putting into practice the moral principle that says: "Treat others as you would like to be treated."
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