The Phenomenological Critique of Formalism: Responsibility and the Life-World

Chapter
First Online:
Part of the Contributions To Phenomenology book series (CTPH, volume 76)

Abstract

Self-responsibility and self-critique have been themes in philosophy since Plato ’s Socrates endorsed the demand to ‘know thyself’ [γvωθι σαυτοv]. In the modern philosophical tradition, self-critical reason, a reason that gives the law to itself, has been at the very centre of the practice of both epistemology and ethics . In the twentieth century, the European phenomenological philosophers Edmund Husserl and Jan Patočka brought new clarity and a sense of urgency to the critical thinking surrounding the need for responsibility . Using Husserl ’s and Patočka ’s thinking as the starting point for a critical reflection, this volume proposes different approaches to reflect upon the increasing formalisation of all aspects of our lives, which is particularly relevant for the present age.

Keywords

Formalisation Mathematisation Life-world Responsibility 
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Copyright information

© Springer International Publishing Switzerland 2015

Authors and Affiliations

  • L’ubica Učník
    • 1
  • Anita Williams
    • 1
  • Ivan Chvatík
    • 2
  1. 1.Philosophy, School of ArtsMurdoch UniversityPerthAustralia
  2. 2.The Jan Patočka Archive, The Center for Theoretical StudyThe Institute of Philosophy at the Academy of Sciences of the Czech RepublicPragueCzech Republic

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