Into the World: The Movement of Patoka's Phenomenology

Critically evaluating and synthesizing all the previous research on the phenomenology of Czech philosopher Jan Patoka, the book brings a new voice into contemporary philosophical discussions. It elucidates the development of Patokas phenomenology and offers a critical appropriation of his work by connecting it with non-phenomenological approaches. The first half of the book offers a succinct, and systematizing, overview of Patokas phenomenology throughout its development to help readers appreciate the motives behind and grounds for its transformations. The second half systematically explicates, critically examines and creatively develops Patokas concept of the movement of existence as the most promising part of his asubjective phenomenology. The book appeals to new readers of Patoka as well as his scholars, and to students and researchers of contemporary philosophy concerned with topics such as embodiment, personal identity, intersubjectivity, sociality, or historicity. By re-assessing Patokas philosophy of history and his civilizational analysis, it also helps to better articulate the question of the place of Europe in the post-European world.