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.>

Jan Patocka's thinking has long exercised a subterranean influence on late 20th-century philosophers and intellectuals struggling with understanding the human condition in the modern world. With a unique blend of phenomenology, retrieval of Platonic and Aristotelian motifs, and Eastern European literary and philosophical sources, Patocka's writings are exceptional for both their originality and non-conformity with respect to established traditions of thought. This significant collection of Patocka's writings in English is sure to draw much needed attention to a philosopher whose commitment to 'care of the soul' and 'life in truth' -- the hallmarks of a philosophical life and the life of philosophy itself -- in an age where living in relation to the world in truth has become ever so precarious.

Vorwort
A selected edition of Jan Patocka's (1907-77) writings, based on new translations of his key texts and exploring themes relevant to contemporary society.

Autorentext
Jan Patocka (1907-77) was a Czech philosopher. He specialised in phenomenonology and the philosophy of history and his works include Plato and Europe, which was a collection of his lectures and Heretical Essays in the Philosophy of History. Erin Plunkett is Senior Lecturer in Philosophy and Religious Studies at the University of Hertfordshire, UK. She is currently researching the ontology and ethics of possibility in Kierkegaard and Jan Patocka. Her research interests are phenomenology, post-Kantian philosophy, Kierkegaard and existentialism, and the work of Stanley Cavell.Ivan Chvatík is Director of the Patocka Archive in Prague, Czech Republic, editor of the complete works of Patocka in Czech and German, and a former student of the philosopher.Alex Zucker has translated novels by the Czech authors Bianca Bellová, Petra Hulová, Jáchym Topol, J. R. Pick, Magdaléna Platzová, Tomá Zmekal, Josef Jedlicka, Heda Margolius Kovály, Patrik Ouredník, and Miloslava Holubová. He has also translated stories, plays, subtitles, young adult and children's books, song lyrics, poems, art history, and an opera. More at alexjzucker.com.

Zusammenfassung
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.

Inhalt
Foreword, Graham Henderson
Acknowledgments
Translator's Note
Timeline

Introduction, Erin Plunkett

PART ONE: Early Texts

1. A Few Remarks on the Concept of "World History" (1935)

2. The Idea of Education and its Relevance Today (1938)

   PART TWO: Care for the Soul

3. Limping Pilgrim Josef Capek (1950-1964)
4. On the Soul in Plato (1972)

5. Comenius and the Open Soul (1970)

   PART THREE: Phenomenology

6. The Natural World and Phenomenology (1967)

7. What is Phenomenology? (1975)

   PART FOUR: Arts and Culture

8. Time, Myth, Faith (1952)
9. Art and Time (1966)
10. Time, Eternity, and Temporality in the Work of Karel Hynek Mácha (1967)
11. On the Principle of Scientific Conscience (1968)
12. The Writer's Concern (Toward a Philosophy of Literature) (1969)
13. Ivanov (1970)
14. The Truth of Myth in Sophocles' Theban Plays (1971)

15. On Faust: The Myth of the Pact with the Devil-Observation on the Variants of the Faust Legend (1973)

    PART FIVE: Philosophy of History

16. The Spiritual Foundations of Life in Our Time (1970)
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)
18. The Spiritual Person and the Intellectual (1975)

19. An Outline of History (1976)

    Postscript: Philosophy, Fate, and Sacrifice, Ludek Sekyra

    List of Contributors
    Bibliography
    Index