Vittorio Hösle on the Systematicity and Historicity of Modern Philosophy: An Attempt of a Paradigmatic Analysis of Kant's Philosophy of History

Abstract

Since the current volume of “NaUKMA Research Papers in Philosophy and Religious Studies” presents the first Ukrainian translation of Vittorio Hösle’s essay “The Place of Kant’s Philosophy of History in the History of the Philosophy of History,” this article provides a comprehensive analysis of the work of its author, a contemporary German and American philosopher who is a prominent figure in the “objective idealism of intersubjectivity.” The focus is on the methodology effectively employed by Hösle in his research, which combines historical and philosophical analysis of the works of ancient and modern philosophers with a paradigmatic approach to their thinking. A paradigmatic analysis enables us to examine the topic under study from the perspective of modern philosophy. Hösle’s research is primarily characterized by conceptual and systematic interests, even when delving into the works of eminent philosophers of the past, such as Plato’s philosophy of mathematics. Hösle effectively employs this methodology in his study of Kant’s philosophy of history, revealing how the moral and normative orientation of history, as outlined by Kant, is complemented, even complicated in a certain way, by the realistic anthropology of the author of the “Critique of Pure Reason.” The article also analyzes several other works by Hösle. The analysis demonstrates how, through paradigmatic and systematic methodology, Hösle identified four phases of the development of ancient philosophy, each characterized by distinct thematic and epistemological aspects. This methodology necessitates researchers to depart from the linear-progressive approach of the history of philosophy to focus on the cyclical movement of philosophical thought. Attention is drawn to the problem of the relationship between the “Science of Logic” and real philosophy (philosophy of nature and the philosophy of spirit), as well as the presence of intersubjectivity in Hegel’s philosophy. Various Hösle’s works demonstrate his ability to analyze the classical texts and cinematic masterpieces, as well as the controversial trends of the modern world and the challenges faced by humanity in the 21st century, including Russia’s full-scale war against Ukraine. These challenges require new approaches in international politics and law.