The ancient philosophers, in particular Aristotle, pointed to the inherent human desire for happiness. In the way of this desire, the following question inevitably arises: what is human existence? We need to be acutely aware of our own existence in order to understand how to make it good. Aristotle calls the achievement of happiness the goal of public life, for which every citizen is responsible. However, since the very same ancient times, philosophy has noticed the fundamental instability of the current reality: “Lightning never strikes twice in the same place”, “Everything flows and nothing stays” (Heraclitus).
No worldview (mythological, religious, and scientific) can claim the ultimate truth and cannot stand the test of time. The 20th-century philosopher Albert Camus insists on the possibility of achieving happiness only contrary to the absurdity of existence and in the struggle against its contradictions. Don’t optimism and skepticism appear here as completely equal reactions to the same problem – the vulnerability of human existence? Isn’t human life a constant struggle for postponing its collapse? Will anyone in the 21st century dare to have new philosophical and soteriological ideas?
The last year and a half of the global pandemic have clearly shown the instability of reality in social, economic, demographic, and political contexts, which confirms what philosophy has been talking about since time immemorial. As soon as we try to grasp some world concept and make this concept universal, the demand for flexibility comes from the most unexpected sides. Thus, the following questions arise with new urgency: What does it mean to be human? What is the world we live in? Is it possible to find out at least approximately the principles of those dynamic processes in which we rotate as in a kaleidoscope?
To clarify these issues, the Club of Creative Philosophy will devote the special program Apocalypse Not Now. Among other things, our focus will be on novelties of Ukrainian philosophical journalism, translations of philosophy classics, comprehension of identity problems, and free discussions on the topics stated by the Program.