Abstracts of the World Philosophy Day Congress
Life Form "On the Surface" as a Global
Phenomenon
Maija Kule
University of Latvia, Latvia
maija.kule@gmail.com

The author recognizes three main life-forms today: "upward", based on the idea of transcendence and philosophical idealism, "forward" – based on the economical capitalism and philosophy of process, [starting with the positivists up to neo-pragmatism] and the third life-form –"on the surface", baced on postmodern ideas, relativism and pluralism.
The flourishing of life on the surface in European culture beginning in the second half of the 20th century has caused dislike among representatives of other civilizations and religions. Playful ease, treating life like a game, irresponsibility, mass media power,
consumerism and abstract art – all are interwoven in an enthusiastic, loud string of European life style. The strengthening of the new ideology – on the surface – summarizes the fight against ideologies; it seems to be without any ideology, without a strong philosophical basis. Globalization spreads this form of life all over the world. Opposition to it has not been very successful up to
now. Some philosophers think that it is the foam (i.e. the byproduct)
of the life form forward that appears when prosperity merges with nihilism and development loses its ethical aim. There is a view maintaining that as soon as the game is over, nobody will wish to remain on the surface because it will be totally empty. Other thinkers are sure that life on the surface is not transitory foam, but an age that manifests itself in a peculiar attitude towards time, space, mind, body, freedom, things, morals and activity. The kinds of all these attitudes are too fundamental
to simply – like foam – transform and disappear.
A succession of changing life forms leading from glancing upward, further on forward and coming to the game on the surface is visible in European culture. They still co-exist, yet the question is as to the dominating tendency. Since the sixties of the 20th century, contemporary European society is eager to go forward, but the adepts of modern art and literature appeal to the public not to leave unnoticed the temptations of the life form on the surface. Insecurity, corruption, politicization, the disappearance of morals and a scornful attitude towards classical values further the life form on the surface. It may be that European civilization continues striving towards what the innermost logic of cultural forms that have served it might be. Will globalization in the
coming decades bring us still more extensive phenomena characteristic of the life form on the surface? But perhaps the modernization of Europe will proceed, leaving behind the enthusiasm to live on the surface. Could there possibly appear a fourth form of euro-life – maybe, it could be called a dimension of depth, dialogue with the other cultures around the world? The German philosopher Martin Heidegger thought that poets are those who hear the voice of being most clearly. It is difficult to believe it in this age of traders and politicians. The ability to hear Depends on the life form and it will come with the development
of the global philosophical mind.

(iz šejienes: http://www.irip.ir/userfiles/Archive/BarnameyeHamayeshhHa/2010/FinalEnglishAbstracts.pdf)