Abstract
The lecture traces elements of individualism in Scepsis and gnosis. A Philosophical Confession, the main work of Czech mathematician and philosopher Karel Vorovka (1879 - 1929).
The goal is to describe the concrete form in which individualism manifests itself in Vorovka's thinking and how it differs from radical individualism, as described by Masaryk in his Humanistic Ideals. For this purpose, the lecture presents an analysis of two concepts that are central both for Vorovka's specific form of individualism and for his overall philosophical portrait - the concepts of conviction and gnosis.
Conviction symbolizes Vorovka's "Fichtean" imperative that commands the philosopher to not remain a neutral sceptic, but to defend a certain philosophical position, which he has attained through his own intellectual work and has not simply absorbed it from someone else. The purpose of conviction is to differentiate the philosopher from the rest of society by creating his identity and "sealing it" in front of both himself and other people, and for this reason we consider it an individualistic motive.
Gnosis is then Vorovka's method of how one can achieve an authentic conviction, and that is by committing individual acts of faith and by attempting autognosis - a mystic attempt at attaining self-knowledge. In the final section, Vorovka's individualistic position is differentiated from that of radical individualism, which Masaryk assigned to Nietzsche and Stirner, and which is virtually synonymous with solipsism and ethical egoism.
Vorovka diverges from it by his affirmation of transcendence through an experience with another person, which awakes in him a metaphysical faith in the inner life of other people than himself.