This book offers an original and challenging interpretation of Jan Pato?ka’s conception of the spiritual foundations of Europe in terms of the formation, transformation, and crisis of the idea of the care of the soul. The author clearly situates this conception at the center of the overall context of Patocka’s thought. The unity of that thought, he argues, lies in Patocka’s persistent investigation of what constitutes truthful human existence. Since the idea of the care of the soul originates in the thought of Socrates and Plato, special attention is given to Patocka’s interpretation of these two thinkers. Among other themes, the interpretation incorporates Patocka’s account of the Renaissance and of the Enlightenment as two periods in which the spiritual style marked by the care of the soul gradually dissolves. The last chapter of the book focuses on Pato?ka’s reflections about both the dangers and the positive possibilities of modern science and technology.
About the author: Martin Cajthaml (* 1971) studied philosophy at the Institute of Philosophy and Religious Studies, Faculty of Arts, Charles University in Prague, and at the International Academy of Philosophy in the Principality of Lichtenstein. He is Associated Professor at the Department of Philosophy and Patrology at the Sts Cyril and Methodius Faculty of Theology, Palacký University Olomouc, Czech Republic. His main current interests lie in the field of ethics.
Tabella dei contenuti
Acknowledgements
Preface
Introduction
Chapter I The Fundamental Theme of Patocka’s Thought: Truthful Human Existence
1. The Internal Unity of Patocka’s Thought
2. Truthful Human Existence in Patocka’s Works
3. Truthful Human Existence in Patocka’s Philosophy of History
Chapter II The Care of the Soul in Socrates and in Plato
1. The Care of the Soul in Socrates
2. The Self-Moving Soul
3. The Three Modalities of the Platonic Care of the Soul
4. A Critique of Patocka’s Interpretation of the Platonic Care of the Soul
Chapter III The Care of the Soul in European Spiritual History
1. The Socratic-Platonic Care of the Soul as a Spiritual Heritage
2. Philosophy of the Renaissance
3. The Philosophy of the Enlightenment
4. The Three Forms of the Care of the Soul in European Spiritual History
5. The Relationship Between the Socratic-Platonic and the Christian Care of the Soul
Chapter IV The Spiritual Crisis of Europe and Modern Techno-Scientific Rationality
1. The Causes of the Crisis in the work The Natural World as a Philosophical Problem
2. The Causes of the European Crisis in the works From 50s
3. Analysis of the European Spiritual Crisis and Suggested Solutions in the Texts from the 70s
4. The Threat of Modern Techno-Scientific Rationality to Human Beings
5. The Positive Possibilities of Technological Civilization
Conclusion
Endnotes
Bibliography
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