Nihilism in existentialism
PhD student: Mgr. Michal Chudý
Tutor: Prof. h.c. Jon Stewart, PhD.Dr. habil phil. et theol.
Abstract
Jean-Paul Sartre published his classic systematic statement of existentialism, Being and Nothingness, in 1943. After sketching in detail his existentialist ontology in the body of the work, he promises his readers at the very end that he will write a second book that develops an existentialist ethics as the next part of his system. Sartre never made good on his promise. If Sartre never managed to produce a systematic existentialist ethics, it was not for want of trying. He not only wrote profusely in his so-called notebooks on ethics, but also touched on ethical issues in some of his subsequent published works, such as Existentialism is a Humanism (1945) and Literature and Existentialism (1948). But his thoughts on ethics in these works remained fragmentary and anecdotal and never came close to a systematic statement in the form promised in Being and Nothingness. It has been claimed that the problem with an existentialist ethics can be found in Sartre’s nihilism, which lies at the core of his ontology. It is a seemingly Sisyphusian task to create a unified, prescriptive, and comprehensive system of ethics, if one claims that there are no universal values, and it is the individual who assigns meaning to all aspects of existence. For Sartre, there is no reason to do or not do anything. In short, his nihilist metaphysics precludes the development of an ethics. Another aspect of this rooted negativity and nihilism of existentialism is what Sartre denoted as the negative tension between oneself and “The Other.” This is the reason why the existentialist movement has sometimes been interpreted as purely individual-centric. It is claimed that Sartre’s negative view of human relations undermines any form of social integration and renders his theory entirely unsuitable as the basis for a code of social ethics. More often than not, one can find an author’s perspective on moral issues explained better in their literary works, maybe because, as Camus put it: “People can think only in images. If you want to be a philosopher, write novels,” (Camus 2010, p. 10). Existentialism then came to be associated with and interpreted through works of literature, due to the movement’s nature being closely intertwined with daily existence or what Sartre’s calls “situations.” I believe that the literary portrayals of individuals in existential situations hold the key to resolving the long-standing problem of existentialist ethics.
The Creative Dimension of the Phenomena of the Alien
PhD student: PhDr. Mgr. Michal Kalnický
Tutor: doc. Mgr. Jaroslava Vydrová, PhD.
Abstract
The topic of the Alien, as the opposite of one’s own, has long been one of the hot topics across the social sciences. However, Bernhard Wadlenfels’ responsive phenomenology aims to investigate the Alien at the level of its very essence and views every experience as a response to the Alien, disturbing the boundaries of our order. The Alien comes with a demand for a response that we cannot avoid, and which inevitably affects us on multiple levels. The Alien, a radicalized form of otherness, acts here as a hyperphenomenon, emerging with every experience that reflects our subjectivity. It establishes a hierarchical relationship in which we are forced to react with a response that we must first create.
In the dissertation, the creative essence of this specific form of responsivity plays a central role. Research tries to point out its appearance through the dialogical aspects of phenomena such as surprise, startlement or anxiety. However, the main object of interest is the creative process in art, where is illustrated several forms of the phenomena of the Alien and their critical roles in creative experience and its outcome. Insight from the perspective of responsive phenomenology should thus provide expanded possibilities for thinking about improvisation and the attributes and limits of free artistic expression.
The Ideological Influence of the Russian Philosophical and Political Discourse of the 19th Century on the Thinking of Ľudovít Štúr
PhD student: Mgr. Dmytro Tomakh
Tutor: Prof. h.c. Jon Stewart, PhD.Dr. habil phil. et theol.
Abstract
The topic of the influence of selected Russian intellectuals, specifically the Russian Slavophile circle, on the thinking of Ľudovít Štúr was already addressed in the works of Tibor Pichler and Tatiana Ivantyšynová. However, the authors themselves raised questions regarding the character and intensity of this influence. This dissertation thus builds on the issue of the “reversibility” of Štúr’s thinking, which presupposes changes in Štúr’s approach to national emancipation and a shift towards the Russian cultural paradigm. In the context of differing perspectives on Štúr’s ideological continuity or discontinuity, the thesis leans towards the former position and formulates the hypothesis that, in terms of ideological content, Štúr’s thinking did not exhibit an uncritical shift.
The research is based on the three-phase division of Štúr’s thinking, proposed by Tibor Pichler, which includes: 1) evolutionary rationalism, 2) revolutionary monarchism, and 3) tsarist fundamentalism. Štúr is perceived primarily as an intellectual actor in national transformation, who theoretically legitimized the Slovak national emancipation process. Special attention is therefore given to Štúr’s specific interpretation of German Romanticism and idealistic-rationalist philosophy in terms of the national-social demands of the Slovak ethnicity. It is assumed that the original handling of the categories of reasonableness, freedom, necessity, history, nation, subjectivity, and objectivity in the first phase already brought Štúr’s thinking closer to that of the Slavophiles. In this context, the thesis focuses on Štúr’s theologism and Slavic Romanticism. The research objectives include: a comparison of the thinking of Štúr and the Slavophiles, the definition of the degree of Štúr’s ideological originality and independence, the classification of Štúr as an intellectual actor of national transformation, and the determination of the degree of Štúr’s ideological continuity in the three outlined phases.
How Philosophy Can Help in the Fight against Misinformation
PhD student: MA Dimitar Ganev
Tutor: Prof. h.c. Jon Stewart, PhD.Dr. habil phil. et theol.
Abstract
This research aims to develop a novel, philosophically grounded approach to the problem of misinformation on social media. Up to now, academics and companies have explored technical solutions such as debunking or suspending misinformation-spreading accounts. Similarly, the current body of research, both in philosophy and in the social sciences, is focused on the features inherent to misinformation itself. This leaves a significant gap in understanding the role of people who tend to engage with false claims. This research aims to address this gap by using natural language processing (NLP) techniques to examine the epistemic characteristics of misinformation consumers. The main thesis is that in order to combat misinformation on social media, we shouldn’t focus on the endless struggle of curbing false content but rather on the underlying epistemic vices (that is, harmful thinking patterns like closed-mindedness) that allow it to flourish. The project proposes a novel approach to combating misinformation by targeting the algorithmic design of social media platforms to promote the dissemination of accurate information and foster epistemic virtues (that is, beneficial thinking patterns) among users. The project has both a practical and a philosophical side. The practical side focuses on developing solutions that can be applied to combat misinformation on social media. The philosophical side of the project delves into the root causes of why misinformation spreads. It examines how social media platforms can encourage negative thinking patterns (epistemic vices) that make users more susceptible to believing false information. The project also considers the ethical implications of regulating social media platforms and argues that some restrictions on free speech can be justified if they improve the overall quality of public discourse.
Smart technologies and gaps in responsibility
PhD student: MA Dimitrios Galanis
Tutor: PhDr. Daniela Vacek, PhD.
Abstract
According to some researchers, intelligent technologies lead to gaps in responsibility that cannot be bridged; according to others, they lead to gaps in responsibility, but these gaps can be bridged; according to others still, they do not lead to gaps in responsibility at all. This thesis will analyse the problem of responsibility gaps and argue for one of these views.