Conference | Paper

The Meaning of Sacrum in Jan Patočka's Philosophy of History

Michal Zvarík

Wednesday 6 September 2023

11:30 - 12:00

 

In my contribution I will elaborate on two of Jan Patočka's ideas. The first is his understanding of history as sedimented moral experience. The second is formed by his reflections on the nature of sacrum and its relation to the care for the soul. The distinction between sacrum and profanum Patočka introduced in the fifth of his Heretical Essays. Contrary to secular view neglecting its relevance, for Patočka the dimensions of sacrum and profanum are not only an anthropological constant, but from ontological perspective they present for human being a challenge of subjecting them to responsibility. Patočka's reflections opens questions concerning the meaning of holiday as a time of celebration distinct from everydayness of profanum as dimension of alienating work and labour. Sacral holiday might provide temporary relief from the toils of labour, but such relief might not overcome human alienation. Quite contrary, through ecstatic immersion it might be even deepened. Thus, the human being can overcome the alienating power of sacrum only via care for the soul consisting in opening towards problematicity. I will develop this idea in relation to concept of history as sedimented moral experience. The past with its own problematicity becomes present through sedimented meanings, which might be re-activated, re-lived. From Patočka's perspective, the true historical event is formed by facing and adopting of problematicity in care for the soul. With the conversion of relation to sacrum in care for the soul is also modified the meaning of holiday. It does not only provide an ecstatic relief from everydayness but entails a call for conversion, for overcoming alienation in responsibility for own being. Holiday provide an opportunity of re-activation of the meaning of the past event and endow the present with its light threatened by everyday concerns.