Abstract

This paper discusses two alternative ways of existence of the human being: participation in the concept of reason and participation in the events of the world. It is argued that the traditional Western philosophy from Parmenides and Plato to R. Descartes, I. Kant, and G. Hegel can be described as the participation in the concept of reason. This tradition is characterized by the goal to assimilate the things of the world by concept of reason and in accordance with a project reason, to change the world. This led to the ecological catastrophe. We can overcome ecological catastrophe successfully only when we change the paradigm and shift to the paradigm of participation in the events of the world. The article is based on A. Badiou’s conception of event which is contrasted with Descartes’ conception of the event. Argumentation of the article shows the importance of B. Spinoza’s monistic philosophy for our epoch, which is struck by the ecological disaster. This philosophy is not characterised by the war between things and thoughts, because both thoughts and things are attributes expressing the same God or Nature and are not in conflict with one another.