On the Philosophy of Vladimir Filipović

U zborniku Vladimir Filipović – život i djelo (1906.–1984.), objavljenom povodom stote obljetnice rođenja dr. Vladimira Filipovića, profesora filozofije na Sveučilištu u Zagrebu, osvijetljeni su pojedini aspekti njegova djelovanja, no čini nam se da nije dovoljno jasno naznačena tematska cjelina polazišta, karakter i usmjerenost njegove filozofije. Dosljedno je Filipović i s uvjerenjem o nezaobilaznoj potrebi držao predavanja cjelovite povijesti filozofije Zapada, tj. euroatlanske kulturne hemisfere. Bio je Filipović njen izvrstan poznavatelj, navlastito važno zbog aktualiteta i recentnog uvida u filozofiju 20. stoljeća, o kojoj nije samo govorio kao znalac nego je bio i njenim sudionikom, dionik njenog formiranja. Na liniji neokantovske badenske škole, fenomenologije i aksiologije Filipović je u Hrvatskoj dograđivao i definitivno profilirao tzv. zagrebačku filozofsku školu, a u europskom horizontu vrlo seriozno zastupao filozofiju kulture, dakako s punom sadržajnom distancom spram njenih trivijaliziranih »modnih« pojava tijekom 1920-ih godina (the crazy twenties, les annés folles). Karakteristiku Filipovićeve filozofije kulture čini bitna i čvrsta distinkcija fenomena (pojmova) civilizacije i kulture. »Dok pod civilizacijom razumijevamo sva ona djela i nastojanja ljudska koja ostvaruju sredstva kojima će čovjek olakšati svoju borbu za opstanak, dotle pod pojmom kulture u užem smislu pomišljamo samo na ona djela i nastojanja koja je čovjek stvorio idući za idealima svoga života (kao što su npr. ljepota, dobrota, svetost i dr.)«. Uvažavajući višeslojnost čovjekova bića, Filipović također uvažava i, dapače, upozorava na karakter čovjekova opstanka u vremenu, točnije u povijesti: »Povijest i kultura idu zajedno; gdje nestaje kulture, prestaje povijest.« S obzirom na realitet 20. stoljeća Filipović dakako ne mimoilazi fenomene i problem krize kojima se suprotstavlja upravo filozofijom kulture. Tragične i dramatične posljedice Drugog svjetskog rata ne zaobilaze ni profesora Vladimira Filipovića. Ipak, nakon stanovite cezure i u ponešto suženom opsegu Filipović će nastaviti svoje misaono djelovanje upravo na ranije postavljenim teme ljima filozofije kulture tako da na Internacionalnom filozofskom kongresu 1968. u Beču drži predavanje Zadaci filozofije kulture danas. Filipović se ponovno suprotstavlja novim oblicima i fenomenima krize upozoravajući kako i nakon Drugog svjetskog rata mnoge, inače zapadnjačkoj kulturnoj povijesti pripadne zemlje pogađa u doba mira, nakon rata, brutalni »raskorak između teorije i prakse«. Stoga je u sferi prividne demokracije, drži Filipović, ponovno potrebno prevladavanje nove krize, i opet upravo istinskim afirmiranjem kulture. Nasuprot »dobu verbalizma«, kao i u ranijim krizama dvadesetog stoljeća, potrebno je također istinski afirmirati ozbiljenje ideje humaniteta, smatrao je konkluzivno profesor Sveučilišta u Zagrebu dr. Vladimir Filipović.The papers collected under the title Vladimir Filipović – život i djelo (1906.– 1984.), published on the 100th anniversary of his birth, cast light on certain aspects of the philosopher’s work, but fail to clearly outline the thematic focus, character and general scope of his thought. During his long-term professorship of philosophy at the Zagreb University, Filipović remained consistent in his belief and efforts that the history of Western philosophy, i.e. of the Euro-Atlantic cultural sphere, should be taught comprehensively. He was a great authority on the subject, particularly important because of the actuality and recent insight into twentieth-century philosophy, which he tackled not only as an expert but as its participant and author. Following in the footsteps of the Neo-Kantian Baden school, phenomenology and axiology, in Croatia Filipović redefined and constructed the so-called Zagreb school of philosophy, and on the European horizon was a most serious exponent of the philosophy of culture, making a clear cut from its trivialised »fashions« of the 1920s (crazy twenties, les annés folles). Filipović’s philosophy of culture is characterised by an essential and clear distinction between the phenomena of civilisation and culture: »Whereas civilisation we understand as all the actions and efforts which help humankind in its struggle for survival, culture in the narrow sense encompasses only the actions and efforts man makes in his pursuits of his life ideals (such as beauty, goodness, sanctity, etc.)«. Accepting the multilayered nature of human existence, Filipović also accepts and moreover warns about the meaning of man’s existence in time, more precisely in history: »History and culture go alongside; where culture melts away, history ends«. With regard to the reality of the twentieth century, Filipović boldly approaches the phenomena and the problem of the crisis, which he confronts by using the philosophy of culture. The tragic and dramatic aftermath of World War II had particular impact on the life and work of Professor Vladimir Filipović. Despite censorship and somewhat limited work conditions, Filipović continued his philosophical activity on the previously established foundations of the philosophy of culture, so that at International Philosophical Congress in Vienna in 1968 he lectured on the »Goals of the Philosophy of Culture Today«. Filipović again confronts the new forms and phenomena of the crisis, warning that even after World War II many states of the Western cultural history witness in the time of peace, after the war, a brutal »discrepancy between theory and practice«. Thus in the sphere of ‘illusory democracy’, Filipović states, arises a need to overcome the new crisis through, again, a true affirmation of culture. Professor Filipović thus rightly concludes that contrary to the »period of verbalism « and similar to the earlier crises of the twentieth century, the realisation of the idea of humanity also asks for true and genuine affirmation