Milan Kundera (1929- ) Born in Brno, Czechoslovakia to an intellectual family Studied musicology, film, literature and aesthetics at the university Joined the communist party in 1948, but was expelled in 1950 (rejoined in 1956 to 1970) In 1952 joined the faculty at Prague’s Academy of Performing Arts: lectur ed on world literature Published poems, plays, essays with a clearly communist ideology Lost his teaching position after Soviet invasion in 1968 Books banned in Czechoslovakia in 1970 Became guest prof. in France (1975) Deprived of Czech citizenship in1979 Became French citizen in 1981
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Existence = a dynamic potential (energy), which isimmediately and spontaneously actualized in Apollonianimages as well as mediately and intentionally in Socraticconceptual representations
Since appearances are fleeting, we attempt to fix themthrough Socratic reasoning
We abstract them from lived reality and represent themthrough timeless concepts and propositions
Thus, we disconnect them from existential reality andfalsify them
On the other hand, “everything seems far too valuableto be so fleeting: I seek an eternity for everything: oughtone to pour the most precious wines and salves into thesea? My consolation is that everything that has been iseternal” (Nietzche, The Will to Power )
Energy is finite Time is infinite Thus, time must be circular
“The idea of eternal return follows from theconjunction of the finitude of energy and theinfinity of circular time, and expressesimmediate existential awareness: thefleetingness of appearances and the need for
sameness in eternity. It thus reflects the originalunity of the symbolic system of Dionysius, Apolloand Socrates which make existential realitycomprehensible”
Nietzche, The Gay ScienceThe greatest weight. – What, if some day or night a demon
were to steal after you into your loneliest loneliness and say to you: “This life as you now live it and have lived it, you will have to liveonce more and innumerable times more; and there will be nothingnew in it, but every pain and every joy and every thought and sighand everything unutterably small or great in your life will have toreturn to you, all in the same succession and sequence – even this
spider and this moonlight between the trees, and even this momentand I myself. The eternal hourglass of existence is turned upsidedown again and again, and you with it, speck of dust!”
Would you not throw yourself down and gnash your teeth andcurse the demon who spoke thus? Or have you once experienced atremendous moment when you would have answered him: “You area god and never have I heard anything more divine.” If this thoughtgained possession of you, it would change you as you are orperhaps crush you. The question in each and every thing, “Do youdesire this once more and innumerable times more?” would lie uponyour actions as the greatest weight. Or how well disposed wouldyou have to become to yourself and to life to crave nothing morefervently than this ultimate eternal confirmation and seal?