Description
Jan Patocka was a Czech philosopher who not only lived through the turbulent politics of twentieth-century Central Europe, but he shaped his intellectual contributions in response to that tumult. One of the last students of Edmund Husserl and Martin Heidegger, he was a philosophical inspiration to Vaclav Havel and other dissidents who confronted the Soviet regimes before 1989, as well as being actively involved in authoring and enacting Charter 77 in Czechoslovakia. He died in 1977 from medical complications resulting from interrogations of the secret police, his political involvement cut short by an untimely death.
Confronting Totalitarian Minds examines his legacy along with several contemporary applications of his ideas about dissidence, solidarity, and the human being's existential confrontation with unjust politics. Aspen Briton puts Patocka's ideas about dissidence, citizen mobilization, and civic responsibility in conversation with those of notable world historical figures like Mohandas Gandhi, expanding the current possibilities of comparative political theory. In adding a fresh voice to contemporary conversations on transcending injustice, Confronting Totalitarian Minds seeks to educate a wider audience about this philosopher's continued relevance to political dissidents across the world.
About the Author
Aspen Brinton is assistant professor of international studies in the School of World Studies at Virginia Commonwealth University.
Reviews
"Confronting Totalitarian Minds addresses those shaken by systemic violence in today's world, whatever form it may take. Brinton clearly explains key themes of Patocka's philosophy before comparing his thought with that of other dissidents. . . Perhaps most importantly, Brinton stresses that dissidents must be ever open to questioning, rejecting absolutes, lest they suffer the consequences of hubris or, worse, their efforts result in new systems of oppression." * Times Literary Supplement *
Book Information
ISBN 9788024645377
Author Aspen Brinton
Format Paperback
Page Count 430
Imprint Karolinum,Nakladatelstvi Univerzity Karlovy,Czech Republic
Publisher Karolinum,Nakladatelstvi Univerzity Karlovy,Czech Republic
Weight(grams) 399g
Dimensions(mm) 203mm * 146mm * 18mm
Confronting Totalitarian Minds examines his legacy along with several contemporary applications of his ideas about dissidence, solidarity, and the human being's existential confrontation with unjust politics. Aspen Briton puts Patocka's ideas about dissidence, citizen mobilization, and civic responsibility in conversation with those of notable world historical figures like Mohandas Gandhi, expanding the current possibilities of comparative political theory. In adding a fresh voice to contemporary conversations on transcending injustice, Confronting Totalitarian Minds seeks to educate a wider audience about this philosopher's continued relevance to political dissidents across the world.
About the Author
Aspen Brinton is assistant professor of international studies in the School of World Studies at Virginia Commonwealth University.
Reviews
"Confronting Totalitarian Minds addresses those shaken by systemic violence in today's world, whatever form it may take. Brinton clearly explains key themes of Patocka's philosophy before comparing his thought with that of other dissidents. . . Perhaps most importantly, Brinton stresses that dissidents must be ever open to questioning, rejecting absolutes, lest they suffer the consequences of hubris or, worse, their efforts result in new systems of oppression." * Times Literary Supplement *
Book Information
ISBN 9788024645377
Author Aspen Brinton
Format Paperback
Page Count 430
Imprint Karolinum,Nakladatelstvi Univerzity Karlovy,Czech Republic
Publisher Karolinum,Nakladatelstvi Univerzity Karlovy,Czech Republic
Weight(grams) 399g
Dimensions(mm) 203mm * 146mm * 18mm
