STRATAGEMS OF MIND: INTRODUCTION TO A CONCEPTUAL COURSE IN THE HISTORY OF PHILOSOPHY

Abstract

The article introduces the key idea of a collective project – a conceptual course in the history of philosophy. The idea of this course, born out of the experience of teaching philosophy, is to look at philosophical doctrines as specific communication strategies. Philosophy, thus understood, appears as a doctrine of a reasonable understanding of human experience in the form relevant for each historical age. The strategic goal of philosophical doctrine turns out to be the reflexive arrangement of this experience in a certain order. At the same time, the key condition for achieving this goal is the use of the stratagems of mind: the techniques that philosophers employ to awaken a reflexive attitude to their experience. These include paradoxes, aporias, intellectual tricks, antinomies. However, the initial and key role in awakening thought remains with a reflexively posed question. The author invites interested readers to take part in this project and offer their own analysis of the communicative strategy of a particular philosopher.