Publication Details

Abstract

In the present paper, an opinion is given on some aspects of the controversies on Lenin’s philosophical heritage and, in particular, on controversies on the present interpretation of the „Leninist stage“ in philosophy. First, the development of this question in the Soviet Union and Czechoslovakia in the 1920’s, 1930’s and later is briefly outlined. Many controversies about these problems in the past are pointed out, as well as the way this question was being gradually dogmatized in the history of Marxist philosophy from the beginning of the thirties. An attempt is made to specify what theoretical and methodological harm arose from that in the universal conception of the development of Marxist philosophy in the 20th century. The sense of the history of Marxist philosophy is seen by the author of the present paper, first of all, in a critical self'COgnition, self-reflection of its own philosophical development. If the history of Marxist philosophy lacks this dimension, it loses not only its dynamism but also its cognitive sense for the present philosophical creation. From this point of view, many procedures used until now in the history of Marxist philosophy are criticized and an attempt is made at new views which follow from a more complex knowledge and appreciation of historical sources. As far as the controversies themselves are concerned, which relate to Lenin’s philosophical work and particularly to the interpretation, existing up to now, of the Leninist stage in Marxist philosophy, the author tries to summarize his opinion at which he arrived by investigating fundamental material, into six points in the conclusion of the first part of his work. On the basis of these more general reflections, in the second part of the present paper some questions are introduced relating to concrete problems of the preceding and further research of the history of Marxist philosophy in Czechoslovakia and especially in Slovakia. A critical opinion is given on some former procedures and the way is outlined in which it will be necessary to deepen the work done until now in this area.