Publication Details

Abstract

In his paper the author analyses the pre-war philosophy of J. L. Fischer as a non-typical example of Czech bourgeois philosophy in the period between the two wars. The author concentrates upon the criticism of positivism as it is developed in the philosophical, cultural-critical and journalistic works of J. L. Fischer. He points out where the core of Fischer’s criticism of positivism lies; what jwas his positive contribution and what were his limitations. He further investigates into Fischer’s inspiration and to an extent also his dependence on French idealist retlonalist philosophy at the turn of the century (Boutroux, Renouvier). Horák analyses Fischer’s effort for a special synthesis of mechanical materialism in the explantion of the being of world with objective idealism and agnosticism that are apparent in Fischer’s conception of theory of knowledge. The author further argues that it was this effort for the synthesis which prevented Fischer from getting to a true dialectical-materiallsttic conception of world nature and human society in spite of his criticism of positivism, which was connected with criticism of capitalism, fascism and with the defence of democracy which was appreciated, though critically on the side of the Czech pre-war Marxist intelligentsia.