The history of philosophy as philosophy

The work on the history of Czech philosophy received an important impetus in the late 1950s by the proceeding and the results of the national conference on History of Czech Philosophy on April 14-17, 1958 in Liblice. The main speakers were Karel Kosik ("History of Philosophy as Philosophy") and Milan Machovec ("Problems of the History of Czech Philosophy"). Karel Kosik considers history of philosophy a subordinate component of philosophy as well as part of doing philosophy. The starting point and aim of investigation is, according to Kosik, the text, the philosophical work. In his theory he rejects simplifying economic determinism in the interpretation of philosophical views, the reduction of philosophy to a reflection of class struggles and political stands of philosophers, as well as the positivist idea of the history of philosophy. He places philosophical work in a social context and social context in philosophical work, which, in his view, makes it possible to reveal its new aspects and structure.