The Presence of Myth"[An] important essay by a philosopher who more convincingly than any other I can think of demonstrates the continuing significance of his vocation in the life of our culture."—Karsten Harries, The New York Times Book Review With The Presence of Myth, Kolakowski demonstrates that no matter how hard man strives for purely rational thought, there has always been-and always will be-a reservoir of mythical images that lend "being" and "consciousness" a specifically human meaning. "Kolakowski undertakes a philosophy of culture which extends to all realms of human intercourse—intellectual, artistic, scientific, and emotional. . . . [His] book has real significance for today, and may well become a classic in the philosophy of culture."—Anglican Theological Review |
Contents
| 1 | |
2 Myth within the Epistemological Inquiry | 9 |
3 Myth in the Realm of Values | 19 |
4 Myth in Logic | 34 |
5 The Mythical Sense of Love | 44 |
6 Myth Existence Freedom | 51 |
7 Myth and the Contingency of Nature | 61 |
8 The Phenomenon of the Worlds Indifference | 69 |
9 Myth in the Culture of Analgesics | 83 |
10 The Permanence and Fragility of Myth | 110 |
11 Conclusion | 130 |
| 137 | |
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Common terms and phrases
acceptance analgesics antinomy appears areas assumption attempt become behavior belief biological capable Christian coexistence cognitive conflict constituted contained contingency conviction create creativity criteria culture demands desire doctrine egoisms eidos element empirical ence epistemological ethologist event evil exis existence existential experience explain extent fact factual faith fear freedom function genetic historical homeostasis hope Husserl ical imagination impossible individual inevitably inquiry interpretation intuition irremovable justified Leibniz logic logical empiricism meaning metaphysical modus ponens myth of Reason mythical consciousness mythical order mythical realities mythological mythopoeic nature norms Nothingness object one's organized ourselves participation in myth perception person phenomenon philosophical possible prehuman presence principle properties question rational realm reference reflection regarding relation relativism religious reveal rience rules scientific sciousness sense situation social species suffering technological tence theodicies things thought tion transcends truth turn ultimate unable unconditioned understanding utopia valid values variants words world's indifference