Summary

Father Józef Tischner (1931-2000) was one of the most eminent Polish philosophers of the 20th century. More than the first chaplain of Solidarność, he was both a great moral authority and one of the most famous, brilliant, and beloved figures in Polish public life. Renowned Canadian philosopher Charles Taylor described Father Tischner as someone "standing in the tradition of Christian humanism, but not at all in the narrow sense of one who wants to cling on to an established tradition, be it Thomist or other. On the contrary, he understood very well that this kind of humanism, which brings faith together with a philosophical anthropology, is something that has to be constantly recreated anew in each new epoch."

Our May issue of Znak is dedicated precisely to the Christian humanism present in the late philosopher's thought. It has been edited in collaboration with the newly established "Józef Tischner Institute", the founders of which have made it their aim to bring his person and output closer to as many people as possible and to spread his message throughout society. Thus, this issue presents statements about the Krakow thinker shared with Znak by his disciples, his friends, and also from those holding views that somewhat differ from Tischner's own. First, by way of an introduction to "the dispute over Tischner", we publish a text by Dobrosław Kot. Next are respondents to our questionnaire entitled "Glances at Tischner", alongside which Antoni Szwed and Adam Węgrzecki share some of the problems they have experienced with embracing Tischner, indicating how he has influenced modern philosophy and pointing to the new paths of thinking he blazed. In our editorial discussion philosophers and religious thinkers debate Tischner's religious reflection itself, an oeuvre which transcends the realm of philosophy while at the same time bursting the limits imposed by theological criteria. Jacek Filek deals with the metaphor of home, something crucial to Tischner's philosophy of drama. Tadeusz Gadacz offers a separate article devoted to the Christian roots of Father Tischner's philosophy of man.

Beyond that, Znak's May issue serves up: Bronisław Wildstein's "Diagnoses" based on the BBC scandal following the suicide of the British government adviser David Kelly; thereafter are two essays - one by Barłomiej Dobroczyński and the other by Marta Tarabuła - which respond to our March issue entitled "The New Brave World of Pop Culture"; then come Janusz Poniewierski, Małgorzata Łukasiewicz, and Piotr Kłodkowski's regular columns; a new contribution to the "Society of Caring"; plus a conversation with the French philosopher Chantal Delsol, and a number of book reviews.

POCZĄTEK STRONY