Abstract

Hermann Lübbe distinguishes between philosophy in a professional, academically disciplined sense, on the one hand, and philosophy in an »exoteric«, public sense on the other. In both its forms of existence, philosophy is concerned with orientation. Lübbe characterizes nonacademic philosophy as »the epitome of systems of orientation as a last resort in the contexts of any practice«. Professional philosophy has the task of reflecting »on the prerequisites of our orientation practice« and, if necessary, acting as an »orientation crisis manager«. This conceivably broad opening of the concept of philosophy brings with it the problem of its demarcation from what Lübbe calls »worldview« and »ideology of life«.