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Existential Entrapment in the Works of Dostoevsky and Kierkegaard
Vaškovic, Petr ; Ritter, Martin (advisor) ; Rosfort, René (referee) ; Pattison, George (referee)
Existential entrapment in the works of Dostoevsky and Kierkegaard (Petr Vaškovic) Abstract The overarching question that guides Dostoevsky's and Kierkegaard's extensive inquiries into the affective, rational, and spiritual dimensions of human existence is relatively straightforward, albeit not simple: they want to know what constitutes an authentic Christian life. The answer they give-as I argue in my dissertation thesis-is that one ought to rid oneself of egotistic inclinations and aim for a life of faith that revolves around the virtues of humility and non-preferential love. Dostoevsky and Kierkegaard then urge their readers to enter upon this path of individual existential self-development. However, becoming an authentic Christian is by no means an easy task. Both writers acknowledge that this climb up the existential ladder is-to cite Kierkegaard's pseudonymous author Johannes Climacus-a task 'harder than sustaining the heaven and earth.' This rather pessimistic conclusion is also the starting point of my thesis: if Dostoevsky and Kierkegaard understand human life as a developmental process in which one laboriously moves away from egotism towards ethical and religious perfection, we can then look for moments of abrupt existential growth (e.g., Kierkegaard's leap of faith or Dostoevsky's moments of...
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Existence without existent
Vaškovic, Petr ; Ritter, Martin (advisor) ; Válová, Dita (referee)
The aim of this diploma thesis is to elucidate the ambiguous relation between the concepts of absolute alterity (tout Autre), there is (il y a) and the element (L'élément) in the work of Emmanuel Levinas. The investigation starts with a presupposition, that the above-mentioned concepts can all be considered a form of alterity. First part of the thesis thematises il y a against the backdrop of two seminal texts - From Existence to Existents and Time and the Other - and also in relation to Martin Heidegger's philosophy. Second part is structured around the analysis of the element, as it is presented in Totality and infinity. Part three deals with the concept of absolute alterity, which is contrasted to the conception of the totalizing subject. In the last part of the thesis, these three distinct kinds of alterity are brought into relation and qualitatively differentiated from one another. Key words: Levinas, Heidegger, alterity, radical alterity, totality, il y a, there is, element, From Existence to Existents, Totality and Infinity, Time and the Other
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Transcending egoism through utilitarianism
Vaškovic, Petr ; Jirsa, Jakub (advisor) ; Hill, James (referee)
This bachelor's thesis transcending egoism through utilitarianism deals with the problem of egoism in connection to moral acts, especially in connection to the motivation of moral action. Main focus of the thesis is on the problem of egoism, which seems to be one of the main motivating powers, usually negative, that is preventing individual from following his moral judgment. Transcending the negative influence of egoism is possible through adopting a certain impersonal viewpoint. This tendency, namely the aspiration to achieve an impersonal viewpoint can be found in utilitarianism. Utilitarianism in its foundations works with an Epicurean, therefore more or less egoistically hedonistic view of morality, with a tendency of an individual to follow pleasure and avoid pain. Impersonal character of utilitarianism, that aspect of utilitarianism, which is capable of transcending egoism, is the aspect which will be most important for this thesis. The ability of utilitarianism to transcend the personal viewpoint will be the core of the argument, which will help us in transcending egoism. Keywords Ethics, egoism, motivation, utilitarianism, Bentham, Mill, Scheffler, Hare
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