Date of Award

5-1992

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Arts (MA)

Department

Political Science

First Advisor

Cecil L. Eubanks

Abstract

The work of Czech novelist Milan Kundera provides some interesting philosophical and aesthetic reflections upon the nature of human existence. Kundera strives to make concrete discoveries about human experiences through his novels. The role of the novel in revealing concrete existence presents one with a unique means to ponder political questions. Kundera's aesthetic and political philosophy arises from his distinct world view and aesthetic theory, based on three overarching premises, which insist that the most important goals for a novelist (or anyone) are: to make discoveries about existence; to ask questions without offering answers; and to express the fundamental ambiguity and complexity of human existence. When translated into action, these three aesthetic imperatives not only help counteract the modern crisis of the forgetting of being, but also reinforce a basic aspect of democratic political philosophy. Thoughtful consideration of questions and a healthy recognition of the inherent uncertainty of human existence foster a democratic atmosphere of debate. This thesis analyzes the political implications of Kundera's aesthetic and political philosophy through an exegesis of his world view, aesthetic theory and aesthetic devices, resulting in some specific epistemological and ethical conclusions about Kundera's fundamental ambivalence toward the notion of community.

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