Patočka and Socratic knowing of the unknown

Authors

  • Róbert Stojka University of Pavol Jozef Šafárik in Košice Faculty of Arts Department of philosophy and history of philosophy Moyzesova Street No. 8, 040 01 KOŠICE

Keywords:

Patočka, Socrates, knowing, history, historicity, philosophy of history

Abstract

Socrates as a philosopher is present in Patočka’s thinking in irreplaceable manner, and in all periods of his philosophical life. Patočka mainly accepts the Socratic idea of knowing the unknown. He is developing this idea step by step throughout the various periods of his philosophical work. Socratic knowing of the unknown, transformed through the problematisation and the moment of negativity successively into the principle of historicity, means for Patočka the essential resort for his own conception of philosophy of history in its top form. Within this conception he is attempting for a new, historical understanding of the sense of human life, and also of the sense of history. For Patočka, the history is understood on the basis of constant problematisation, it’s infinite, unresolved and opened – but it must remain this way, if we don’t want to think about the end of history.

Author Biography

Róbert Stojka, University of Pavol Jozef Šafárik in Košice Faculty of Arts Department of philosophy and history of philosophy Moyzesova Street No. 8, 040 01 KOŠICE

My work in philosophy is related to philosophy of history in the issues of current post-metaphysical situation. I am interested in the problem of history and post-European period, which specially Patočka reflected in his philosophy of history. I work on the themes involving Patočka´s asubjective phenomenology in context of his philosophy of history. My main scientific interest is the current situation of the philosophy of history and its influence on present philosophy. My dissertation thesis was titled Patočka´s Philosophy of History and it was published in 2013 and 2015 (supplemented edition) as a monography. 

My main publications are as follow:

Patočka´s Philosophy of History, Košice: 2015.

„German Enlightenment and Herder“ – Patočka and the modern philosophy, Košice: 2014.

„Hegel´s Philosophy of History“ – Patočka and the modern philosophy, Košice: 2014.

„Patočka´s Critique of Heidegger and three motions of existence“ – Patočka and the philosophy of 20th century, Košice: 2015.

„Patočka, Masaryk and crisis of modern man“ – Patočka and the philosophy of 20th century, Košice: 2015.

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Published

2016-07-04

How to Cite

Stojka, R. (2016). Patočka and Socratic knowing of the unknown. Folia Philosophica, 37. Retrieved from https://trrest.vot.pl/ojsus/index.php/FOLIA/article/view/4733