Research Methodology Exercises

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Štefan Jusko

The stimulus for this monograph was my two studies on Heidegger’s interpretation of Nietzsche’s ideas of the will to power and eternal return of the same, published in Heidegger and Modern Metaphysics (supported by the Slovak Research and Development Agency, APVV-14-0706, under the leadership of V. Leška and M. Sobotka). In the submitted monograph, I present both studies in expanded (particularly “Will to Power as Art”) and refined versions (“Eternal Return of the Same”) and add a third chapter addressing the question of the meaning of interpreting philosophical texts, which themselves are interpretations of other texts.

In seeking an appropriate approach to the meaning of interpretation, I conclude that—generally—the purpose of interpretation is to uncover the productive dimension of the interpreted text, which can only be revealed if the interpreter enters the text openly and as neutrally as possible. If the interpreter does not open themselves to the text, allowing it to interpret them in turn, interpretation remains trapped. I believe that without mutual openness between interpreter and interpreted, interpretation has no meaning and typically becomes either rejection or misinterpretation—a form of violence.

In the third chapter, which I consider foundational, I attempt to “balance” the interpretive context of “Heidegger–Nietzsche” from the first two chapters through a reversible context of “Nietzsche–Heidegger,” albeit with the risk that my interpretation of Nietzsche’s thought—specifically his ideas of eternal return and will to power—may remain subjective, even if unintended as misinterpretation. Ultimately, the ambition of the third chapter is to explore intersections between the two philosophers, one of which—a rudimentary yet significant overlap—I identify as Heidegger’s concept of being-in-the-world, reinterpreted through Nietzsche’s lens. It is Nietzsche who challenges us to adopt a self-defined stance toward the world, to confront what it means to be in the world.

The challenge for me—and perhaps the reader—is to remain faithful to oneself, which is only possible by persisting in the context of mutual interpretation between interpreter and interpreted, regardless of who/what is interpreting or being interpreted. For the context of being-in-the-world is always co-created by both sides.

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Gabriel Eštok

The university textbook Citizenship of the European Union is structured into four parts. The first chapter focuses on the characteristics of citizenship in a historical context (concepts of citizenship in the ancient, medieval and modern periods).

The second chapter deals with a theoretical introduction to citizenship. It comes up with the characteristics of citizenship, introduces the ways of acquiring and losing citizenship and the transformations of citizenship in the context of globalization and multiculturalism.

The third chapter focuses on European Union citizenship itself, its historical development and the process of introducing and strengthening citizenship in the European Union.

The fourth chapter presents the specific rights of citizens deriving from European Union citizenship - the right to free movement, the right to vote and stand as a candidate in municipal and European Parliament elections, the right to diplomatic and consular protection in the territory of a third country, the right to petition the institutions of the European Union, the right of access to documents of the institutions and bodies of the Union, and the right of initiative of the citizens of the European Union.

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Lukáš Šutor

Vedecká monografia Kozmológia čarodejných príbehov (ľudová rozprávka medzi kultúrou a umením) je pôvodnou prácou syntetizujúcou výskum o kozmologických štruktúrach archaických epických žánrov v interdisciplinárnom dialógu medzi literárnou vedou a kultúrnou antropológiou. Výskumne sa sústredíme najmä na ľudovú čarodejnú rozprávku, ktorá sa vždy dotýka základnej ontologickej problematiky, vytvára modelový a poetizovaný obraz sveta; predstavuje neteistickú formu hrdinskej kozmológie, ukotvenú v gnómickom časopriestorovom rámci. Pri jej výskume kombinujeme synchrónnu systémovú interpretáciu semiotických rovín s diachrónnou analýzou vývoja kultúr. Z nášho výskumu vyplýva, že základné konflikty medzi symbolickými formami čarodejných príbehov, tak ako ich poznáme z folklórneho prostredia, vykryštalizovali v epoche šírenia sa prvých historických národov ako dôsledok konfrontácie odlišných kultúrnych komplexov.

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Marianna Sedláková - Marián Gladiš (eds.)

The content of the book publication Pavol Jozef Šafárik in Continuity consists of contributions from two events organized by the Department of Slovak Studies, Slavic Philologies, and Communication at the Faculty of Arts of Pavol Jozef Šafárik University in Košice during its short existence.

The first event was a scientific seminar held on the occasion of the 150th anniversary of the death of P. J. Šafárik, titled Pavol Jozef Šafárik – Scientist and Artist, which took place on January 27–28, 2012, in Košice and Kobeliarovo. The second event was an internal scientific seminar on the occasion of the 220th anniversary of Šafárik’s birth, held on December 15, 2015, under the title In the Quiet Home Circle. Symbolically—beginning with death and ending with birth (thus indicating the living continuity of Šafárik’s research legacy)—we aim to continue the study of Pavol Jozef Šafárik’s scientific work and increasingly involve the youngest generation of researchers (represented by doctoral students of the department in the field of literary studies). This is despite the fact that the literature on the life and work of this scholar and poet, who stood at the birth of Slavic studies, is very rich, and most of his works have already been scientifically analyzed. However, it appears that even seemingly outdated views of Šafárik still deserve scientific attention in the new context of humanities and natural sciences, as can be read in the contributions published in this volume.

Through the continuous publication of the Collected Works of Pavol Jozef Šafárik, both mentioned seminars, and the publication of this volume, the Faculty of Arts of Pavol Jozef Šafárik University in Košice has continued the activities of the Prešov Faculty of Arts from the time before its separation from the union of faculties of Pavol Jozef Šafárik University in Košice in 1997. The selection and arrangement of contributions in the volume symbolize the "passing of the baton" in research and publishing activities related to Pavol Jozef Šafárik—a scientific personality of global stature, who in 1959 gave his name to our university.

Compiled by the editors.

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