This course introduces ways of philosophizing in Central Europe in the second half of the 20th century. The emphases are put on non-Marxist thinking and liberal Marxist ideas as well as the opposing dogmantic state-endorsed philosophy of the soviet-style Marxism-Leninism. The effort will be made to underlie similarities and distinctions in ways in which harshness of political regimes, ever-present ideological dominance, courage, and personal stance of individual thinkers shaped the way they adopted and developed Western style philosophizing. We will discuss the role philosophical ideas had on politics of the involved countries and their struggle for freedom. While this course is not supposed to be crucially focused on the role of philosophy in public life, many questions about the mutual relationship of these two domains will be debated. This debate will take place in a general framework of possibilities of small nation-states to produce philosophical ideas that could bear their fruit worldwide.
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