According to the philosophical anthropology based on ontological foundations, idealization is to give meaning and transcend, in the shortest expression. As the sole idealizing being, humans, relying on the ontological structure of existence, provide a comprehensive purpose to their lives. They overcome positive/negative situations in the course of life without getting stuck, living a life chosen not by the contingencies but in line with their own goals. Idealization, divided into pure and impure forms, is an opportunity that, when recognized and developed, elevates humans spiritually. Pure idealization signifies a person understanding, setting goals, and purposes for their life based on high values, acknowledging responsibility for oneself and others. Impure idealization, on the other hand, refers to an individual assigning meaning to their life based solely on instrumental values, in line with their own desires and interests, without grappling with the internal and external realities. In this article, first focuses on the nature of idealization in broad strokes. Subsequently, it claims that the inability to idealize is the fundamental factor determining the actions of the main characters, Cevdet Bey, Refik, and Ahmet, in the novel. In the case of Cevdet Bey, impure idealization manifests as an inability to confront realities and indifference. For Refik, it appears as a paralysis of will, directionlessness, failure to establish a dialectical relationship with reality, and disappointment. Ahmet, on the other hand, exhibits both an inability to confront realities and a failure to establish a dialectical relationship with reality.
Idealization, Philosophical Anthropology, Meaning, Orhan Pamuk, Cevdet Bey and His Sons.