Philosophy and policy in political philosophy of Vіncent Descombes

Abstract

There is the question which haunts philosophy: how may be philosophy correlated with policy? The answer supposes the appeal to a so-called figure of philosopher-law-maker. Thus the author dwells in succession on three points: 1) comprehension of the figure of philosopher-law-maker in V. Descombes’ political philosophy; 2) elucidation, basing on V. Descombes’ directions, of the illusions generated by the above figure in the modern political thought; 3) this figure outline in Plato’s and Rousseau’s vision. The analysis brings the author to elucidation of divergences between substantiation philosophies which form the policy on rational principles and decisionist philosophies according to which policy is not the cause of substantiation, thus, political philosophy has to renounce any instance of fundamental reflection. In the author’s opinion it is necessary to revise interpretations of Platonism and Rousseauism to understand the interrelation between the appearance of autonomous will or “ability to formulate” (Liotard), and a myth about the philosopher-law-maker.