Historiosophy of August Cieszkowski in the context of contemporary consciousness

Abstract

Cieszkowski’s philosophy embodies the most influential trends in philosophy and culture of the nineteenth century. This does not mean, however, that Cieszkowski’s philosophy has today only historical character and it is good topic for some historians of philosophy. On the contrary. Although Cieszkowski used Post-Hegelian language and concepts, at the core his philosophy is an experience which has got a fundamental complexion. It is an experience of the dialectic of history. It underlies not only the history of philosophy of the nineteenth century, but also lies at the root of modern consciousness, as determined by hermeneutics and postmodernism. The ancestor of the transversal reason is a cunning reason of history. Postmodernism, which focuses on pluralism and diversity, is closely related to the era of the “end of history” and post-history. The last term, just as the “post-modernism” is a historiosophical concept. The present of Cieszkowski’s philosophy of history allows us better understanding the philosophical foundation of contemporary culture.