The Anti-Masters

Abstract

The author’s reflections, which include an autobiographical note, focus on local research communities, that is, communities where the living scholarly discourse usually unfolds within one paradigm and the teachings of a Master which fill this paradigm. The starting point is the observation, referring mostly to the broadly understood humanities, that the discourse within a community which centres on a Master is sometimes imbued with the critical, sometimes even opposing narrations of anti-masters. In the primary relationship, the anti-masters and the Master confront each other as living people, as researchers who sometimes engage in an open debate and sometimes raise a dividing wall of critical silence. Taking into consideration the scale and the contents of these confrontations, the author distinguishes four categories of anti-masters. He also points out that the role of anti-masters in local research communities is often beneficial, especially from the long-term perspective. Their narratives may inspire and expand the community’s scholarly horizons, including, as does occasionally happen, the views of wise Masters and their faithful disciples.