The essence of phenomenon of peace and the notion of peace building

Abstract

Peace, as well as its inevitable companion and rival - war, are extremely complex notions and important socio-historical phenomena. This is why the study of peace, and its proper understanding, requires a wise philosophical view and a bold scientific and intellectual synthesis. Peace and war are complex notions and seductive phenomena, which can easily lead us to various dilemmas, blind alleys, simplifications, and also intellectual and ethical antinomies. What truly peace is represents a great question and it is unknown whether it is tranquility, respite, stagnation or absence of life, antithesis of war, oasis of human happiness or perhaps renouncement of any happiness. Dealing with peace shares a similar problem with artistic description of happiness, where we often lack the right words and appropriate sublime and dynamic action - on the other hand, an artist is eloquent, inspired, emotional and profound when describing misfortunes and suffering of nations and men. Peace has been mostly perceived as a necessary rest between wars and bloody battles throughout history. We think that it is necessary to abandon the often dominant Manichean image of the world, represented by dual dialectic and a black-and-white connection between peace and war, and that it is time for us to open ourselves to, among other things, wisdom from the East, which speaks about complementing, reciprocity and contrast between Yin and Yang, much like Galtung, the founder of the peace studies. There is virtually no human activity that has not touched, in its own particular way - through commonsense, teleologically, mythically, epically, scientifically, intellectually, spiritually, with heart and soul, the questions and phenomena of war and peace because both peace and war are so crucially important for man, society and the overall humankind. Peace building is the necessity of the highest order because if the planet Earth is not in the state of sustainable peace, we fear that there will be no man left on it. Hence, peace and peace-building are not merely ethical, scientific, esthetic, diplomatic or theological issues, even though they are all of these, but primarily the issues of destiny of humans and human society. Peace is an issue of the highest order, a requirement of all requirements, and hope before all other human hopes.