E-LOGOS, 2011 (vol. 18), issue 1
History of Philosophy
Alfred Schütz - Od Husserla k Rakouské ekonomii
Petr Špecián
E-LOGOS 2011, 18(1):1-24 | DOI: 10.18267/j.e-logos.299 
The article recapitulates the basic foundations of the thoughts of Alfred Schütz who tries to synthesize the approaches of Edmund Husserl and Max Weber in the field of the methodology of the social sciences. Although Schütz follows Husserlian phenomenological approach very closely in the early period of his work, it is already possible to see a specific emphasis on empirical character of any scientific investigation. This emphasis is inspired by the Weberian arguments and opposes the opinion of another from Schütz's great teachers - Ludwig von Mises. The article gradually analyses the key features of Schütz's own method and shows the fundamental importance...
K pojmu nutnosti a náhodnosti (bytí jsoucího); I. část
Vladimír Kyprý
E-LOGOS 2011, 18(1):1-11 | DOI: 10.18267/j.e-logos.303
This article is an attemt at interpretation of relation between the concept of necessity and accident (of being of entities) and the concept of law (of being of entities) in Hegel´s philosophy as well as some criticism (and self-criticism) of this attempt. That attempt at interpretation of relation between the concept of necessity and accident (of being of entities) and the concept of law (of being of entities) in Hegel´s philosophy is extended (elaborated) into reproduction and interpretation (interpretative reproduction) both of criticism of Hegel´s philosophy by Schelling using at the same time on principle his concept of necessity (of being of...
Weber a Schütz o lidském jednání
Petr Špecián
E-LOGOS 2011, 18(1):1-18 | DOI: 10.18267/j.e-logos.304
The article approaches the methodological component of the theory of human action which was developed in the frame of Weber's sociology of Verstehen and further transformed in the phenomenological sociology of Alfred Schütz. The central problem of the analysis is how both authors try to solve the problem of interpretation of action from the point of view of the (scientific) observer and the agent himself. Although his effort to stay in touch with the psychological reality of action is obvious, it seems that Weber always readily takes the position of scientific observer. Schütz tries to develop a sounder foundation of the Weberian approach and shows...
K pojmu nutnosti a náhodnosti (bytí jsoucího); II. část
Vladimír Kyprý
E-LOGOS 2011, 18(1):1-11 | DOI: 10.18267/j.e-logos.306
This article deals with an implicite relation between a concept of necessity and accident (of being of entities) and a concept of law (of being of entities) in Marx´s philosophy connected (bound together) with the explicit relation between the concept of necessity and accident (of being of human entities in economic and social sphere of being) and the concept of law (of being of human entities in economic and social sphere of being) in Marx´s political economy; it demonstrates its merit from the point of view of ontology of law as well as it demonstrates (from the anthropological point of view) its defect that is connected especially with its historicism...
Teorie poznání Jana Loevensteina
Tomáš Vaverka
E-LOGOS 2011, 18(1):1-23 | DOI: 10.18267/j.e-logos.307
The purpose of this text is to demonstrate the epistemology in the work of Czech economist Jan Loevenstein. Loevenstein found some parts of Engliš´s Teleology inconsistent and directed his focus on epistemology. Conception of noetics, which this study presents, is an unintended consequence of his critics of some aspects of Schopenhauers philosophy and Engliš´s teleology. The objective validity of teleological judgement in Loevenstein´s approach is the most important contribution to teleology and methodological apriorism as a whole.
K antropologicko-ontologické valenci a k antropologicko-ontologickým ambivalencím v pojetí "šifer transcendence" ve filosofii K. Jasperse z pohledu fenomenologicko-ontologického a fenomenologicko-antropologického.
Vladimír Kyprý
E-LOGOS 2011, 18(1):1-23 | DOI: 10.18267/j.e-logos.308
This study follows on my study "About the conception of "ciphers of transcendence" in K. Jaspers´ philosophy from the point of view of phenomenological ontology and phenomenological anthropology" (see E-Logos 2002) and demonstrates more closely anthropological and ontological value of the conception of "ciphers of transcendence" in K. Jaspers´ philosophy from the point of view of phenomenological ontology and phenomenological anthropology but above all demonstrates its anthropological and ontological ambiguities concerning his conception of "ciphers of transcendence" in relation to transcendence (i. e. essential source of "ciphers of transcendence"...
O Platónově cestě od Erota k Logu
Miroslav Vlček
E-LOGOS 2011, 18(1):1-20 | DOI: 10.18267/j.e-logos.311
The intention of presented study is providing an overview of development of one of key themes of Plato's philosophy - problem of a soul and its immortality that also plays important ontological and noetic role. Study contains not only reflection of Plato's philosophy, but also opinions of his predecessors who influenced him. Focus is on traditional Homeric view, especially to Orphism and its philosophical reflection in pre-Socratic philosophy. This study is intended as the first part of larger study, focused on genesis of Plato's noetic, and understood as journey from those conceptions whose common denominator is theory of remembrance to more rational...
Dopis lékaři (1734) od Davida Huma: svědectví o počátcích jeho filosofie a cestě k Traktátu o lidské přirozenosti.
Tomáš Kunca
E-LOGOS 2011, 18(1):1-17 | DOI: 10.18267/j.e-logos.312
Tricentenary Hume paper provides for the first time Czech scholars and philosophy students with the full text and extensive content elucidating commentary/translation of so called Letter to the Physician (March or April 1734). Letter carries primary testimony about the beginnings of Hume philosophy and "turning point" on his road to Treatise especially. Paper is designed as a "starting point" for introduction and consequent discussion of "contextual approach" (A. M. Stewart, John P. Wright) in Hume studies.
K Humově filosofii náboženství
Ján Pavlík
E-LOGOS 2011, 18(1):1-38 | DOI: 10.18267/j.e-logos.314
After presenting a psychological portrait of David Hume on the background of the 18th century's cultural history, the author develops the following theses: I. The sense and target of all Hume's philosophical reasoning (especially of his rejection of the ontological status of the categories of substance and cause as well as of his theory of moral sentiments) consisted in preparing the ground for a skeptical destruction of all statements concerning the being and nature of God and for substantiating the conception according to which man can live morally without being anchored in religious transcendence. II. All strongly inconsistent parts of Hume's philosophy...
Philosophy of Science
K pojmu "přirozeného zákona" (bytí lidsky jsoucího) v Hobbesově filosofii
Vladimír Kyprý
E-LOGOS 2011, 18(1):1-41 | DOI: 10.18267/j.e-logos.289
This study ("On the concept of natural law - of human being - in Hobbes´ philosophy") is an appendix to my studies on development of the concept of law (of being) in classical modern philosophy. What is the position of natural law (of human being) in Hobbes´ philosophy in development of the concept of law (of being) in classical modern philosophy? If Hobbes´ concept of natural law (of human being) is a concept of moral law (of human being) as Hobbes himself declares does it mean that Hobbes´ concept of natural law (of human being) anticipates e. g. Kant´s concept of moral law (of human being)? There is defined Hobbes´ concept of natural law (of human...
Existuje vôbec jediná časová línia tiahnuca sa priamo až k veľkému tresku?
Robert Burgan
E-LOGOS 2011, 18(1):1-36 | DOI: 10.18267/j.e-logos.295
The first part of this Thesis entitled the "Time" refers, based on a known script by St. Aurelius Augustine the "Confessions", to main issues faced in connection with determination of time and its reality, non-continuous nature, measurability etc. The second part of the Thesis entitled "The Big Bang" refers to variety of definitions of this much specific event to be considered as the beginning of everything which we examine and which accompanies us in our life; first those events of traditional nature where the Big Bang is perceived as the exploding singularity and the White Hole and then also those with a shorter history where the Big Bang ceases...
Firstness - As seen from the perspective of Complexity Research
Manfred Füllsack
E-LOGOS 2011, 18(1):1-19 | DOI: 10.18267/j.e-logos.298
This paper presents a sort of phenomenology of complexity-theoretic reasons for rethinking the philosophical understanding of "firstness". Many of these reasons are well known in systems theory, mathematics, physics and other natural sciences but are - to my knowledge - not yet widely considered in the discipline where the quest for "the first" origins - in philosophy. The paper thus is meant as an invitation to philosophers to consider "firstness" from the perspective of complexity research.
Problémy kauzality ve fyzice i mimo ni Planckovým pohledem
Veronika Nováková
E-LOGOS 2011, 18(1):1-24 | DOI: 10.18267/j.e-logos.300
Is everything what is happening or existing in the world determined by a causal relation and every process in nature as well as in spiritual life is thus based on given laws or is there -at least to a certain degree - coincidence, self-will or freedom? Physicists have allways dealt with such and similar questions, which are in their principle related to the problem of validity of the causality law, or - in general - determinism or indeterminism. In Max Planck times, these questions were often discussed in natural sciences and Planck himself presented various lectures on this topic. He illustrates the problem with many fictive cases as well as concrete...
The limits of reductionism in biology: what alternatives?
Fulvio Mazzocchi
E-LOGOS 2011, 18(1):1-19 | DOI: 10.18267/j.e-logos.301
Modern science has been grounded on reductionism at different levels from the very beginning. The reductionist approach still holds a significant influence on science, biology included, especially after the rise of molecular biology in the 1950s when biology went molecular, and life began to be interpreted as a molecular process regulated by genetic information. Reductionism resulted in becoming a very powerful analytical approach by which scientists were able to investigate many basic molecular and cellular processes. However as time passed, the limits of the reductionist project in biology have become increasingly evident. Under question was not...
K pojmu "přirozeného zákona" (bytí lidsky jsoucího) v Lockově filosofii
Vladimír Kyprý
E-LOGOS 2011, 18(1):1-21 | DOI: 10.18267/j.e-logos.302
This treatise ("On the concept of natural law - of human being - in Locke´s philosophy") is an appendix to my study "On the concept of natural law (of human being) in Hobbes´ philosophy". There are more closely defined factors of identity between the concept of natural law (of human being) in Locke´s philosophy and the concept of natural law (of human being) in Hobbes´ philosophy, i. e. essential source, (essential) contents, and (essential) form of natural law (of human being) as well as essential source, (essential) contents, and (essential) form of positive civil law (of human being in state and legal social form) in this treatise. And there are...
Ethics, Social and Political Philosophy
Relation between Quality of Pleasure and Quantity of Pleasure in J. S. Mill's Theory of Utilitarianism
Pavel Janda
E-LOGOS 2011, 18(1):1-18 | DOI: 10.18267/j.e-logos.296
Presented paper critically explores Mill's theory of quality of pleasure. J. S. Mill in his attempt to secure utilitarian position against different adversaries introduced a conception of the quality of pleasure in order to reply to accusations that utilitarianism ends up as a theory suitable only for animalistic part of human nature. Yet, his exposition of the aforementioned principle is far from being lucid. Especially his theory of relation between quantity of pleasure and quality of pleasure suffers from many ambiguous or rather opaque parts. To explore these unclear thoughts is the goal of this paper.
'Black Conservatism': The Philosophy of Thomas Sowell
Jack Kerwick
E-LOGOS 2011, 18(1):1-24 | DOI: 10.18267/j.e-logos.297
In this paper I explore the concept of "black conservatism" by focusing specifically upon the writings-including his analyzes of racially oriented issues-of the contemporary economist Thomas Sowell. I argue that while there is no such thing as "black conservatism" in the sense of a political philosophical orientation supposedly distinguishable from other types of conservatism, Sowell is the paradigmatic instance of a black thinker whose thought is located solidly within the intellectual tradition of classical conservatism. To this end, I show that the conceptions of human rationality, morality, and the state underlying Sowell's thought converge with...
Úloha médií ve společenském řádu a demokracii
Lukáš Bernat
E-LOGOS 2011, 18(1):1-30 | DOI: 10.18267/j.e-logos.305
Media are part of dynamic growth of technology and development and they are essential of social order or democracy, but can also be a destructor. This paper first focuses on the exploring of media content from a different perspective of theorists Lévy and Thompson, then pushes this knowledge into the context of social order and democracy.
Přirozený zákon ve filosofii 20. století a jeho zdroje
Miroslav Vacura
E-LOGOS 2011, 18(1):1-20 | DOI: 10.18267/j.e-logos.313
Natural law is one of the most important ideas that form foundations of European philosophical, ethical and legal thought. Presented article provides exposition of development of idea of natural law in philosophical thought with emphasis on its key moments and textual explications of its most important theses that foreshadowed understanding of this concept in history. The purpose of this article is not detailed inquiry into one of the stages of its development or into thought of some of important authors, but to provide concise picture of its development as whole. The article starts with description of sources of natural law idea at pre-Socratic, following...
Excellent Student Papers
Hayekova kritická reflexe hranic rozumu
Václav Řezníček
E-LOGOS 2011, 18(1):1-20 | DOI: 10.18267/j.e-logos.287
This document was created after several years of studying the work of an important social-science thinker of the twentieth century Friedrich August von Hayek (is also based on reading some of Hayek´s interpreters and "inspirators") and was written as the final work of a minor specialization "Philosophy" at the University of Economics, Prague. The author has researched the topics in several previous works. Devoted to this time he presents a more comprehensive picture that deals with explanation of issues with emphasis on the interrelationship between ideas and phenomena. For clarity, the text is structured into chapters. After a short introduction the...
Používání matematických metod v ekonomii a ideální společenský řád
Jakub Večerník
E-LOGOS 2011, 18(1):1-17 | DOI: 10.18267/j.e-logos.288
The main aim of the paper is to focus on the use of methods of exact sciences in economics. The author highlights the problems of today's economy caused by economic recession and finds the ideas that affected the current economic thinking. He analyzes the rationalist thinking of the 19th century, which had changed the content of the term "science" and considers the consequences that it should be for future development. Further analysis of influence of economics by exact sciences demonstrates the example of Nobel Prizes laureates in economics. The author realise that some prices have been awarded for the application of mathematical methods that attempt...
Různé pohledy na otázku: Mohou stroje myslet?
Ondřej Vadinský
E-LOGOS 2011, 18(1):1-24 | DOI: 10.18267/j.e-logos.294
This paper deals with the question, whether machines can think. Changes in thematisation of the question by several philosophers and scientists such as Cartesian dualism, Turing test, Searle's Chinese room argument, artificial neural networks of the Curchlands and Rapaport's abstraction and implementation and syntactic semantics are followed. The paper then shows what are the differences and similarities of such thematisations. Then it asks what is the nature of the relation between thought and its manifestation, which is the cornerstone of the Turing test. Furthermore the paper accents the need of combining suitable distinctive capacities with appropriate...
Miscellany
Hra jako fenomén kultury a estetický zážitek
Jiří Vaněk
E-LOGOS 2011, 18(1):1-28 | DOI: 10.18267/j.e-logos.309
The theme of this study is the game as the anthropological and aesthetical phenomenon; it deals with Schiller's concept of game as manifestation of human liberty and Huizinga's idea of game as the source of human culture. It also attempts to consider the typology of games and plays as developed by R. Caillois as well as Fink's and Gadamer's existential and cosmological concept of game. In order to enrich the conceptions of the above mentioned theorists, the author analyzes a specific form of game behaviour - the "trifling with somebody".
Smích v tematizaci estetiky
Jiří Vaněk
E-LOGOS 2011, 18(1):1-14 | DOI: 10.18267/j.e-logos.310
The study attempts at a critical evaluation of the classical philosophical concept of laughter. Bergson and his predecessors (Hobbes, Stendhal, Baudelaire) treated laughter as derision, as an expression of one's superiority over his/her neighbour; in contrast with it, Karel Kosík refers to laughter's other anthropological meanings. The author tries the show that, in fact, there exists a lot of various modes of the phenomenon of laughter and, correspondingly, a lot of specific possibilities of aesthetic distance.