Filosofie autenticity

The philosophy of authenticity is based on the ancient wisdom preserved in the advice ‘Be Yourself!’ from the pen of Sappho. In comparison to the poet’s recommendation, Socrates’ reference to the inscription above the Delphic oracle ‘Know Thyself!’ somewhat loses its radicalism in that it unwittingly presumes an already finished core of the self as the object of knowledge. However, there is nothing to know – because at the beginning of our life there is no self, and it is in its nature that it is only in the process of becoming. Building one’s own self is a task, and psychiatric clinics and ordinary fates attest to the vast numbers who fail in this endeavour.
The creation of the self is a notoriously difficult mission for each of us and can be equated with finding the meaning of life. Life itself has no meaning. This must be given to it through one’s own efforts, and the main obstacle to success is that meaning is unique and that it cannot therefore be lent, given or – on the contrary – stolen. It is thus impossible to copy it. There is no use in doing what is expected – everyone else is doing that. In such circumstances the usual endings are worse than the beginnings.
The present monograph, The Philosophy of Authenticity. Be Yourself, is divided into two parts. Part one focuses on the ontic side of the human being, and the subject is health as a starting point for further research. The second part then focuses on happiness – but instead of happiness it is far more appropriate to consider meaning. Meaning, however, is already ontological in nature, and an understanding of a human being cannot bypass this approach.
The instrument of investigation is exclusively reflection, which is highly subjective: in the process of investigation the subject must always be accompanied by a consciousness of itself. The path to this is paved by the special and purely human capability to think, and thinking consists in the ability to question oneself. It is only through consistent questioning that one can arrive at the discovery of one’s own self and a completely original meaning of life.