Modernisation of Czech Philosophy Based on Emphasising the Concept of Person

Is Ferdinand Pelikán’s and Karel Vorovka’s Personalism a Form of Individualism?

Abstract

This study deals with the concept of person in the works of Ferdinand Pelikán and Karel Vorovka, two major theorists of Czech philosophy in the Interwar Era. It shows that their frequent use of the term ‘person’ and their focus on individuality were directly linked to the then ongoing process of modernisation of philosophy throughout Europe. The aim of this study is to check whether Vorovka’s and Pelikán’s effort to base modern philosophy on the concept of person was due to a growing influence of individualism, that is, whether it is a form of this direction of thought. Verification of this initial hypothesis is based on analysing the reception and interpretation of the importance of the concept of person in the two authors’ texts published in the Ruch filosofický journal. The study reconstructs the concept with respect to inquiry into the sense in which a person is crucial in its singularity as an individual. The individualism that is to be evaluated is initially specified according to the T.G. Masaryk’s definition and subsequently verified using a reconstruction of the concept of person. The expressed views of person/individuality are assessed within European, Czech, and historical contexts. Interpretation of the concept of person in the philosophy of Ferdinand Pelikán and Karel Vorovka leads to a reflection upon a distinct period in the history of Czech philosophy and offers an evaluation of the presence and level of individualism in the tradition of Czech modern thought. Keywords: Ferdinand Pelikán, Karel Vorovka, T. G. Masaryk, personalism, modern Czech philosophy, individualism, person, Ruch filosofický journal.