Europe and the Care of the Soul

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, Palack University Olomouc, Czech Republic. His main current interests lie in the field of ethics.

Inhalt
AcknowledgementsPrefaceIntroductionChapter I The Fundamental Theme of Patocka's Thought: Truthful Human Existence1. The Internal Unity of Patocka's Thought2. Truthful Human Existence in Patocka's Works3. Truthful Human Existence in Patocka's Philosophy of HistoryChapter II The Care of the Soul in Socrates and in Plato1. The Care of the Soul in Socrates2. The Self-Moving Soul3. The Three Modalities of the Platonic Care of the Soul4. A Critique of Patocka's Interpretation of the Platonic Care of the SoulChapter III The Care of the Soul in European Spiritual History1. The Socratic-Platonic Care of the Soul as a Spiritual Heritage2. Philosophy of the Renaissance3. The Philosophy of the Enlightenment4. The Three Forms of the Care of the Soul in European Spiritual History5. The Relationship Between the Socratic-Platonic and the Christian Care of the SoulChapter IV The Spiritual Crisis of Europe and Modern Techno-Scientific Rationality1. The Causes of the Crisis in the work The Natural World as a Philosophical Problem2. The Causes of the European Crisis in the works From 50s3. Analysis of the European Spiritual Crisis and Suggested Solutions in the Texts from the 70s4. The Threat of Modern Techno-Scientific Rationality to Human Beings5. The Positive Possibilities of Technological CivilizationConclusionEndnotesBibliography