| Abstract [eng] |
Problem Analyzed in Dissertation Relevance of topic comes from the importance of development of heritage of Lithuanian philosophy. Present and future evolution of philosophy cannot be detached from analysis and evaluation of thinkers from the past. Thinking of Vincas Vyčinas is worth our attention because his work is poorly integrated in philosophical discourse. The subject of the dissertation is also important because of problematic questions, which Vyčinas has brought forward. The dissertation investigates his ideas, reveals the conceptual side and originality of his thinking, and evaluates his consistency of following phenomenological philosophy. The dissertation not only highlights specific aspects that we can find both in Vyčinas’ and other Lithuanian diaspora philosophers’ works, but shows exceptional attention to old Lithuanian way of living and their distinctive way of thinking intrinsic to them. The dissertation reveals, that Vyčinas is aware of Edmund Husserl’s phenomenological requirement to get closer to the things themselves, in other words - search for direct encounter with phenomena that brings philosopher closer to primordial thinking. We also emphasize that Vyčinas mostly follows Heidegger, who has made the most significant impact on philosophical thinking on this Lithuanian philosopher. It is important to emphasize that Vyčinas first encountered Heidegger’s ideas during Maceina’s lectures at Vytautas the Great University and after the Second World War he studied Heidegger’s philosophy in Freiburg. Although Vyčinas follows Heidegger’s ideas very closely, the dissertation tries to highlight the independent aspects of Vyčinas thinking, and to explore his departure from Heidegger’s way by focusing on mythopoetical discourse of ancient cultures. In this dissertation we show that Vyčinas turns to mythopoetical thinking because he wants to break free from Western technical stereotypes and also to reanimate philosophy, to reveal its primordial nature. The dissertation’s aim is to find an originality of Vyčinas ideas and to emphasize his distinctive way of thinking. It is precisely this aspect that makes our research complicated, because mythical thinking is not considered coherent by philosophical discourse. These circumstances require additional analyses of mythical thinking, a discussion of its relation with scientific thinking and its presence in ancient Greek philosophy. The dissertation tries to answer the questions whether mythical attitude is compatible with today’s Western philosophy, if turning to myth does not mean refusal of philosophical thinking or turning to irrationality? Mythical discourse has different nature from Western philosophy. We emphasize that this difference helps Vyčinas to explore the limitations of pure rationality and predominance of causal logic, which brought contemporary philosophical thinking to a crisis. Vyčinas does not reject philosophy; rather, he uses an oblique approach, and he reveals suppressed philosophical potential within mythical thinking. Resultantly, an analysis of Vyčinas philosophical thinking requires extraordinary careful approach. Vyčinas’ investigation of mythical cultures has important methodological features that help him rethink the fundaments of Western philosophy. This encourages us to search for common aspects in both philosophical and mythological thinking. Science and history works with particular facts, but language of myth and poetry is universal and worldly. It expresses immediate experience and highlights the difference between scientific knowledge and direct perception. This allows us to stress the actuality of Vyčinas philosophical thinking, because the immediacy of mythical awareness can be intertwined with theoretical. A reason as to why Vyčinas is focused on mythical thinking, discussed in the dissertation showing that Western philosophy became overly attached to sciences and lost its sovereignty. For Vyčinas we must avoid constructed scientific experience and search for direct contact with the world. We explore his claim that technical scientific thinking cannot be isolated from individual’s attempt to articulate his meaning and place in the world. This claim results in an important attempt to describe fundaments of thinking that can withstand technical scientific and cosmopolitan globalization, presenting major challenges to contemporary humanity. Also it is important to emphasize that Vyčinas’ attempt to revive mythical thinking into today’s Western culture is coming from his personal experience of mythical culture in Lithuania. In other words, his attempts to bring to light the world of mythology is rooted in a substratum, which has survived in Lithuania countryside together with mythical tradition that was devoted to reverence of nature up to middle of XX century. Living experience of old Lithuanian community for Vyčinas is important as a model of the living world, which helps to have orientation in the contemporary culture. This also accounts for his attitude and ability to perceive the world as a whole integral universe, as a harmonious totality. We emphasize that memories of lost communal life world has an impact on Vyčinas late philosophy and his turn to explorations of old mythical Lithuanian cultural heritage. Concerned about survival of Lithuanian identity in culturally globalized world, Vyčinas tries to develop his thinking in accord with old Lithuanian way of living. The dissertation is devoted to reveal his efforts to explore Lithuanian and Baltic traditions. The dissertation tries to show that in the context of Lithuanian philosophy Vyčinas’ works can be considered close to those written by Antanas Maceina, Algis Mickūnas, Algirdas Julius Greimas and other eminent lithuanian diaspora thinkers who, in addition, focus on the dimension of nationality. In this context, the dissertation reveals the importance of Vyčinas way of thinking to Lithuanian philosophical discourse. |
