The Selected Writings of Jan Patočka: Care for the Soul

Jan Patočka's contribution to phenomenology and the philosophy of history mean that he is considered one of the most important philosophers of the 20th century. Yet, his writing is not widely available in English and the Anglophone world remains rather unfamiliar with his work. In this new book of essential Patočka texts, of which the majority have been translated from the original Czech for the first time, readers will experience a general introduction to the key tenets of his philosophy. This includes his thoughts on the relationship between philosophy and political engagement which strike at the heart of contemporary debates about freedom, political participation and responsibility and a truly pressing issue for modern Europe, what exactly constitutes a European identity? In this important collection, Patočka provides an original vision of the relationship between self, world, and history that will benefit students, philosophers and those who are interested in the ideals that underpin our democracies. Dedication 8 Contents 10 Foreword Graham Henderson 12 Acknowledgments 15 Translator’s Note 16 Timeline 18 Introduction • Erin Plunkett 24 Part One: Early Texts 50 1 A Few Remarks on the Concept of “World History” (1935) 50 2 The Idea of Education and its Relevance Today (1938) 62 Part Two: Care for the Soul 76 3 Limping Pilgrim Josef Čapek (1950 – 1964) 78 4 On the Soul in Plato (1972) 98 5 Comenius and the Open Soul (1970) 116 Part Three: Phenomenology 128 6 The Natural World and Phenomenology (1967) 130 7 What is Phenomenology? (1975) 162 Part Four: Arts and Culture 186 8 Time, Myth, Faith (1952) 188 9 Art and Time (1966) 194 10 Time, Eternity, and Temporality in the Work of Karel Hynek Mácha (1967) 208 11 On the Principle of Scientific Conscience (1968) 236 12 The Writer’s Concern (Toward a Philosophy of Literature) (1969) 242 13 Ivanov (1970) 256 14 The Truth of Myth in Sophocles’ Theban Plays (1971) 262 15 On Faust: The Myth of the Pact with the Devil—Observation on the Variants of the Faust Legend (1973) 270 Part Five: Philosophy of History 284 16 The Spiritual Foundations of Life in Our Time (1970) 286 17 The Dangers of Technicization in Science according to E. Husserl, and the Essence of Technology as Danger according to M. Heidegger (Varna Lecture, 1973) 304 18 The Spiritual Person and the Intellectual (1975) 318 19 An Outline of History (1976) 330 Postscript: Philosophy, Fate, and Sacrifice • Luděk Sekyra 346 List of Contributors 350 Bibliography 352 Index 382 Jan Patocka's contribution to phenomenology and the philosophy of history mean that he is considered one of the most important philosophers of the 20th century. Yet, his writing is not widely available in English and the Anglophone world remains rather unfamiliar with his work. In this new book of essential Patocka texts, of which the majority have been translated from the original Czech for the first time, readers will experience a general introduction to the key tenets of his philosophy. This includes his thoughts on the relationship between philosophy and political engagement which strike at the heart of contemporary debates about freedom, political participation and responsibility and a truly pressing issue for modern Europe, what exactly constitutes a European identity? In this important collection, Patocka provides an original vision of the relationship between self, world, and history that will benefit students, philosophers and those who are interested in the ideals that underpin our democracies. -- Provided by publisher