Worldviews, Knowledge and Power: From the History of Philosophy to the Right to Think

This conceptual working paper examines how worldviews shape the organization of knowledge, authority and participation. It reconstructs Jean-Pol Martin’s 2022 essay “Neue Menschenrechte. Artikel 1 (das Recht auf Denken)” and develops its connection between philosophical traditions, institutional self-preservation and the right to think. Martin’s heuristic reading of the history of philosophy contrasts explanations proceeding from overarching principles with inquiry grounded in observation, experience and revisable problem-solving. The paper uses this contrast to investigate epistemic openness: whose knowledge is recognized, who can challenge established interpretations, and how new information enters collective decisions. The organism-oriented framework provides a shared reference for examining regulation, environmental exchange and adaptation. The paper distinguishes physiological explanation, institutional analogy and normative commitment. The preservation and flourishing of life, including its biological and ecological conditions, serves as an explicit orientation for human action. Contribution within the corpus:The paper articulates the link between worldview analysis and institutional design. It connects the organism model and the New Human Rights (NMR) with practical conditions for effective participation, accountable responses and collective problem-solving. Within the developing LdL/NMR/human–AI corpus, it is positioned as a bridge between epistemic foundations and political application. The paper includes an illustrative civic case, a research agenda and an analytical prompt for examining worldviews, institutions and public problems. It presents a conceptual synthesis rather than a new empirical study or an exhaustive classification of philosophical traditions. Authorship and AI assistance:Jean-Pol Martin is the author and source of the theoretical framework. ChatGPT assisted with English drafting, structure and synthesis. Responsibility for the published text remains with the author.