Part 3/11:
Stirner sees pre-Christian European civilizations, such as those of ancient Greece, as rooted in realism, as they were concerned mostly with practical existence rather than abstract ethical ideas. He contrasts this with Socrates, whom he deems an outlier who submitted to ideas and principles, thus setting the stage for a shift towards the second paradigm.
Stage Two: Idealism
The second stage, idealism, encompasses a cultural and intellectual maturation where individuals subjugate themselves to abstract principles and moral values. In this phase, Stirner critiques ideologies like Christianity, which he believes impose principled structures upon believers, rendering their wills secondary to conforming to ideals of goodness, justice, or truth.