In the Background of Philosophy

Abstract

Philosophy has its background. On the basis of an analysis of Badiou’s Second Manifesto for Philosophy, developed through artistic reconstructions of Badiou’s schemes done by the painter Monique Stobiena, the author comes to the conclusion that this background has a phenomenological character. The background of philosophy is the pillar of Badiou’s principle of phenomenologicallity, i.e. it is a place of philosophy’s desire for the world; philosophy’s orientation towards the world; and, a constitutive moment of manifestation of philosophy whereby heterogeneous but nonetheless philosophical concepts manifest themselves. In order to fully grasp the meaning of the phrase conceptual realization of philosophy, the author develops the conceptual couple of emptiness and appearance (the empty space of Truth and the idea of orientation towards the world) through an analysis of the concept of conditioned philosophy. The realization of a concept demands a certain “plant” of appearing, which is - under the sign of Truth - truly capable of realizing philosophical concepts. The place of this “plant” is in the background of philosophy.