Constantin Noica

The 20th century is thought to be dominated by science. The model of scientific knowledge, which means transforming reality into formal and abstract concepts, is applied in judging the entire environment. This kind of thinking is called by Noica "the logic of Ares", as it considers the individual a simple variable in the Whole. The existence is, for this scientific way of considering things, a statistical fact. In order to recover the individual senses, the sense of existence, Noica proposes, in opposition with "the logic of Ares", "the logic of Hermes", a way of thinking which considers the individual a reflection of the Whole. The logic of Hermes means understanding the Whole through the part, it means identifying in a single existence the general principles of reality. This way of thinking allows one to understand the meaning of the life of a man oppressed by the quick present moment. Noica appreciated Greek and German philosophers, as well as several Romanian writers. He recommended to read philosophy, to learn classical languages, particularly ancient Greek, and modern languages, particularly German.

• 1934 – Mathesis or simple pleasances ("Mathesis sau bucuriile simple") • 1936 – Open concepts in the history of philosophy in Descartes, Leibniz and Kant ("Concepte deschise în istoria filozofiei la Descartes, Leibniz și Kant") • 1937 – De caelo. Essay around knowledge and the individual ("De caelo. Încercare în jurul cunoașterii și individului") • 1937 – Life and philosophy of René Descartes ("Viața și filozofia lui René Descartes") • 1940 – Sketch for the history of How is it that there is anything new ("Schiță pentru istoria lui Cum e cu putință ceva nou") • 1943 – Two introductions and a passage to idealism ("Două introduceri și o trecere spre idealism") • 1944 – Philosophical journal ("Jurnal filosofic") • 1944 – Pages on the Romanian soul ("Pagini despre sufletul românesc") • 1962 – "Phenomenology of Spirit" by G.W.F. Hegel narrated by Constantin Noica ("Fenomenologia spiritului de G.W.F. Hegel istorisită de Constantin Noica") • 1969 – Twenty-seven levels of the real ("Douăzeci și șapte trepte ale realului") • 1969 – Platon: Lysis • 1970 – The Romanian philosophical utterance ("Rostirea filozofică românească") • 1973 – Creation and beauty in Romanian utterance ("Creație și frumos în rostirea românească") • 1975 – Eminescu or Thoughts on the complete man of Romanian culture ("Eminescu sau Gânduri despre omul deplin al culturii românești") • 1976 – Parting with Goethe ("Despărțirea de Goethe") • 1978 – The Romanian sentiment of being ("Sentimentul românesc al ființei") - translated into English in 2022 • 1978 – Six maladies of the contemporary spirit. The Romanian spirit at the conjuncture of time ("Șase maladii ale spiritului contemporan. Spiritul românesc în cumpătul vremii") • 1980 – Narrations on man, after Hegel's "Phenomenology of Spirit" ("Povestiri despre om") • 1981 – Becoming in-to Being, vol. 1: Essay on traditional philosophy, vol. 2: Treatise of ontology ("Devenirea întru ființă", vol. 1: "Încercare asupra filozofiei tradiționale", vol. 2: "Tratat de ontologie") • 1984 – Three Introductions to Becoming in-to Being ("Trei introduceri la devenirea întru ființă") • 1986 – Letters on the Logic of Hermes ("Scrisori despre logica lui Hermes") • 1988 – De dignitate Europae (in German) • 1990 – Pray for brother Alexander! ("Rugați-vă pentru fratele Alexandru") • 1991 – Journal of Ideas ("Jurnal de idei") • 1992 – Sunday essays ("Eseuri de duminică") • 1992 – Simple introductions to the kindness of our time ("Simple introduceri la bunătatea timpului nostru") • 1992 – Introduction to the Eminescian miracle ("Introducere la miracolul eminescian") • 1997 – Cîmpulung manuscripts ("Manuscrisele de la Cîmpulung") • 1998 – The spiritual equilibrium. Studies and essays (1929–1947) ("Echilibrul spiritual. Studii și eseuri (1929–1947)")