He was born in Prague in a Catholic family, his father Jan was an architect, his grandfather
František Nušl was an astronomer and mathematician. His younger brother Václav is a graphic artist.[5]
He was not allowed to study and worked as a goldsmith, precision mechanic and software developer.[6][7] Sokol studied mathematics in evening courses (received BA in 1967),[6] translated numerous books on philosophy and religion to Czech (
Lévinas,
de Chardin,
Gadamer,
Foucault,
Heidegger,
Landsberg etc.),[8] participated on the Czech Ecumenical Bible translation (1963–1979)[8] and was one of the first signatories of the
Charta 77 manifesto for
Human rights.[6]
In 1993 he obtained an MA in Anthropology,[3] in 1995 a Ph.D. in Philosophy[6] and since 2000 has been a full professor of philosophy.[3] In 2000 Sokol became the first dean of
Faculty of Humanities, Charles University in Prague, vice-dean in 2007 and in 2008 was appointed an Officer of the
Légion d'honneur.[3] In the Fall Semester 2008 he was a Senior Fellow at CSWR,
Harvard University, lecturing on Religion, Ethics and Human rights.[3]
In a 2020 interview, Sokol stated that he frequently edited Wikipedia in order to reach young people.[11][12] He was prolific contributor to Wikipedia[2][13] and honorary member of
Wikimedia Czech Republic.[14][15]
Some publications
Books
In Czech:
Cílek – Sokol – Sůvová, Evropa – náš domov (Europe – Our Home). Albatros, Praha 2018, 132 p.
ISBN978-80-00-05206-9
Sokol, J., Naděje na neděli (Hope for Sunday). Praha 2017. 280 p.
ISBN978-80-7429-818-9
Sokol, J., Dluh života. Články – eseje – glosy (The Debt of Life). FHS UK, Praha 2016. 668 p.
ISBN978-80-87398-86-9
Sokol, J., Člověk jako osoba (Man as a Person). Vyšehrad, Praha 2016. 3rd. ed. 280 p.
ISBN978-80-7429-682-6
Sokol, J.: Moc, peníze a právo (Power, Money and Law). Vyšehrad, Praha 2015. 2nd. ed. 304 p.
ISBN978-80-7429-638-3
Sokol, J.: Etika, život, instituce (Ethics, Life and Institutions). Vyšehrad, Praha 2014, 264 p.
ISBN978-80-7429-223-1
Sokol, J.: Malá filosofie člověka (A Small Philosophy of Man). Vysehrad, Prague 2010, 6th. ed.
ISBN978-80-7429-056-5
Sokol, J.: Čas a rytmus (Time and Rhythm). Oikumene, Prague 2004, 2nd. ed.
ISBN80-7298-123-4
Sokol, J.: Člověk a náboženství (Man and Religion). Portal, Prague 2004.
ISBN80-7178-886-4
Sokol, J. – Z. Pinc: Antropologie a etika (Anthropology and Ethics). Triton, Prague 2003.
ISBN80-7254-372-5
Sokol, J.: Filosofická antropologie (Philosophic Anthropology – Man as a Person). Portal, Prague 2002.
ISBN80-7178-627-6
Sokol, J.: Mistr Eckhart a středověká mystika (Master Eckhart and the Medieval Mysticism). Vysehrad, Prague 2008, 3rd. ed.
ISBN978-80-7021-880-8.
In English::
Sokol, J.: Ethics, life and institutions. English by N. Cairns and M. Pauzerová. Praha: Karolinum 2016. 258 p.
ISBN978-80-246-3429-6
Sokol, J.: Thinking about ordinary things. English by M. Pauzerova. Praha: Karolinum 2013. 236 p.
ISBN978-80-246-2229-3
In German::
Sokol, J.: Mensch und Religion : Ursprünge – Wege – Orientierungen. Übers. J. Ostmeyer. Freiburg im Breisgau: Alber Verlag, 2007. 320 S.
ISBN978-3-495-48264-3.
Sokol, J.: Philosophie als Verpflichtung. Manutius Heidelberg 2014, 208 S.
ISBN978-3-944512-02-0
In Chinese:
Sokol, J.: Xiao zhexue: ruhe sikao putong de shiwu. (A small philosophy). Peking University Press 2018, 249 p.
ISBN978-7-301-29887-9
Others
In English:
Europe speaks. Linguistic Diversity and Politics. In: Angelaki: Journal of Theoretical Humanities. Vol. 15/3, 2010, p. 185–193.
ISSN1469-2899 (electronic) 0969-725X (paper)
Language and experience. In: Dynamic structure. Language as an open system. Prague : Litteraria pragensia, 2007. p. 27–35.
ISBN80-7308-139-3.
What does freedom look like? In: Int. J. Prenatal and perinatal psychology and medicine, Stockholm. Vol. 17, 1/2 (2005), p. 181–187.
ISSN0943-5417
The market as a place of rules. In: M. T. Vogt (hsg.), Kulturen in Begegnung. Wroclaw – Görlitz 2004.
ISBN83-7432-018-4. p. 239–243.
The Two Faces of Time. In: European Review, Vol. 9, No. 1, p. 11–18 (2001).
ISSN1062-7987.
An Address from Elsewhere (The Message of Lévinas). In: Philosophy Today, Chicago, 43/2 (1999), p. 143–150,
ISSN0031-8256.
In German:
Nachbarschaft – Nähe und Abgrenzung aus anthropologischer Sicht. In: Theologie der Gegenwart, Erfurt, Vol. 50 (2007)/3, S. 162–171.
ISSN0342-1457
Die dreifache Verantwortung der Universität. In R. Gepp et al. (Hsg.), Bildung zwischen Luxus und Notwendigkeit. Wien : LIT-Verlag Wien, 2006. P. 21–27. Schriftenreihe der WA. Bd. 1.
ISBN3-8258-9360-X.
Eine Ethik für alle Menschen? In: Schmidinger – Hoff (hsg.), Ethik im Brennpunkt. Tyrolia, Innsbruck 2005, S. 181–200.
ISBN3-7022-2710-5.
Was ist Geld? In: Zeitschrift für Wirtschafts- und Unternehmensethik 5/2 (2004), S. 176–185.
ISSN1439-880X
Europa spricht. Sprachenvielfalt und Politik. In: Osteuropa 5-6/2004, Berlin, S. 276–283.
ISSN0030-6428.
Was ist Geld? In: Zeitschrift für Wirtschafts- und Unternehmensethik 5/2 (2004), S. 176–185.
ISSN1439-880X
Was ist Geld? In: M. T. Vogt (hsg.), Kulturen in Begegnung. Wroclaw – Görlitz 2004.
ISBN83-7432-018-4. S. 189–198.
Der zweifache Schöpfungsbericht als hermeneutischer Schlüssel. In: Pokorný, P. (ed.): Philosophical Hermeneutics and Biblical Exegesis. Tübingen 2002,
ISBN3-16-147894-0., S. 238–244.
Leben als Bewegung. Jan Patočka und die Philosophie der Erziehung. In: Jahrbuch fuer Bildungs- und Erziehungsphilosophie, 3 (2000), S. 223–229. Schneider Hohengehren,
ISBN3-89676-328-8.
In French:
Jan Patocka et la Charte 77. La nouvelle alternative, Paris, 22, 1, p. 29–34, 5 s.
ISSN0029-4705. 2008.
Les regles: conditions de la liberté concrete. In: Philosophie de l'action. Cluj 2005,
ISBN973-7913-43-4, p. 173–181.
Novotný, K. – Sokol, J.: Jan Patočka, penseur d'une dissidence philosophique et politique. In: Delsol – Maslowski – Nowicki (eds.): Dissidences. PUF Paris 2005.
ISBN2-13-054334-0. p. 15–34.
L'obligation et la vie. In: Pouvoir et vie. Actes UEE de Nice. Cluj : Idea Design & Print, Editura, 2004. p. 117–125.
ISBN973-7913-27-2.
D'ou vient l'idée de l'obligation morale? In: Quelle conception de l'homme aujourd'hui? Zuerich 2003.
ISBN3-908544-50-5. p. 119–130.
La pensée européenne de Jan Patočka. In: Delsol – Maslowski (ed.): Histoire des idées politiques de l'Europe centrale, p. 496–510. PUF Paris 1998.
ISBN2-13-049071-9
In other languages:
Zijn mensenrechten natuurlijk? Filosofie ond Praktijk, Budel (NL) : Damon, 28/2007, 4, p. 43–53,
ISSN0167-2444. 2007.
Luxmoore, Jonathan; Babiuch, Jolanta (1992). "Truth prevails: The Catholic contribution to Czech thought and culture". Religion, State and Society. 20: 101–119.
doi:
10.1080/09637499208431534.
Ramet, Sabrina Petra (1991). "The catholic church in Czechoslovakia 1948–1991". Studies in Comparative Communism. 24 (4): 377–393.
doi:
10.1016/0039-3592(91)90012-U.
Tucker, Aviezer; Jakeš, Karel; Kišš, Marian; Kupcová, Ivana; Losman, IVO; Ondračka, David; Outlý, JAN; Stýskalíková, Věra (2000). "From Republican Virtue to Technology of Political Power: Three Episodes of Czech Nonpolitical Politics". Political Science Quarterly. 115 (3): 421–445.
doi:
10.2307/2658126.
JSTOR2658126.