PHILOSOPHY OF POLITICS – WHAT IT IS AND WHAT IT MAY BE?
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doktorant w Instytucie Nauk Politycznych Uniwersytetu Warszawskiego
Дата публикации: 2020-01-28
Studia Politologiczne 2009;13
СТАТЬЯ:
The problem of political philosophy is usually widely discussed in the historical
context. However, little is known about other approaches toward this issue. The
influence of philosophy on politics and vice versa is undoubted. What is political
philosophy? What can it be? Is it satisfying? These are the questions one must
ask when discussing such a complicated topic. Unfortunately, there are no precise
answers to any of the most important queries. It seems that the only possible
solution is to consider political philosophy according to different standpoints and
perspectives.
The Author emphasizes the specific relations between political philosophy
and philosophy as such. These relations seem quite problematic in the context of
modern discourse and its aporetic character. Moreover, the questions of definition
and the meaning of words as well as the understanding of attitudes towards the
philosophical tradition, compel us to reconsider our notion of political philosophy.
Investigating the alleged role and aim (or aims) of political philosophy, the case of
Leo Strauss’ thought is stated as an example of a suggested solution to its crisis
caused by postmodern nihilism and relativism. Although the main statement is
clear: a return to the classical understanding of political philosophy as an attempt
to overcome those problems – the whole thesis is sufficiently controversial. On
the other hand, the social expectations from political philosophy unavoidably bring
the question of the philosopher’s activity within a state. Facing the position of
the death of traditional metaphysics as well as being deprived of certainty in the
light of modern science, a philosopher has to defend the case of philosophy. Of
course that is if one assumes that the position of so-called philosopher is necessary
at all. Instead of conclusion, the Author asks the fundamental question whether
political philosophy would find its proper place among modern social sciences.