Lvov-Warsaw School Research Articles

Jews in Polish Philosophy

This paper outlines briefly the contribution of philosophers of Jewish origin to Polish philosophy. The author contrasts the phrases "philosophy in Poland" and "Polish philosophy." The former refers to philosophical ideas created in Poland as a territory, but the latter indicates philosophy as a part of the national Polish culture. Since the paper deals with "Polish philosophy," it omits representatives of Jewish philosophy living in Poland, like Isserles (Remu), the Gaon of Vilna, Maimon, or Krochmal. The participation of Jews in Polish academic life was a result of Haskala and began in the second half of the nineteenth century. Various factors, political and social, determined restrictions of activities of Jews in Polish science, including philosophy. The situation improved in 1918–1939, although most Jewish people had no full chance to make successful academic careers. Nevertheless, several Jews played a prominent role in Polish philosophy, particularly in the Lvov-Warsaw School.

Recepcja etyki Tadeusza Kotarbińskiego w Polsce

Artykuł jest szkicem odpowiedzi na pytanie: dlaczego etyka Tadeusza Kotarbińskiego, będąc w istocie typem do brze znanej filozofom etyki autonomicznej, a normatywnie bliska ideom chrześcijańskiego miłosierdzia, stała się popularna i żywo dyskutowana w Polsce drugiej połowy XX wieku. Autor omawia ówczesne dyskusje, wskazując na powody zainteresowania stanowiskiem etycznym Kotarbińskiego w kręgu polskich myślicieli chrześcijańskich (ich siedzibą był Katolicki Uniwersytet Lubelski). Jego źródeł upatruje w reakcji na program uniezależnienia postaw etycznych od sporów światopoglądowych. Jednocześnie zwraca uwagę, że w kręgu szkoły lwowsko–warszawskiej i jej wpływów etyka Kotarbińskiego miała poparcie, ale i spotkała się z krytyką. Zastrzeżenia epistemologiczne wobec niej wysuwała Maria Ossowska. Po stronie Kotarbińskiego opowiedział się Tadeusz Czeżowski, występujący z bardziej precyzyjnie sformułowaną ideą etyki empirycznej, wykazując z czasem, że jest to etyka typu aksjomatyczno–dedukcyjnego, a nie indukcyjnego. Akceptując intuicjonizm jako epistemologiczny fundament etyki, do normatywnych idei Kotarbińskiego nawiązywali w sposób twórczy również Ija Lazari–Pawłowska i Marian Przełęcki. Autor przekonuje, że nie jest bezzasadnym przypuszczenie, że program uniwersalnej etyki, niezależnej od sporów światopoglądowych i religijnych, wpłynął także na Marka Fritzhanda interpretację etyki w marksizmie oraz korespondował z tendencjami do budowania etyki dialogu i odpowiedzialności w polskich dyskusjach etycznych w czasach dominacji etyki światopoglądowej.

Logic of language and philosophy of language in 20th-century Poland

Summary The logic of language and the philosophy of language in 20th-century Poland ran in two mainstreams, the so-called Lvov-Warsaw school and and that of phenomenological thought. The former was dominant, the latter was represented mainly by the work of Roman Ingarden (1903–1970). Among works of the Lvov-Warsaw school, the present paper considers the most important achievements of its founder, Kazimierz Twardowski (1866–1938), and the oldest generation of his disciples: Leśniewski (1886–1939), Kotarbiński (1886–1981), Ajdukiewicz (1890–1963), and Izydora Dąmbska (1904–1983), as well as Alfred Tarski (1902–1983) who, in philosophy, was a disciple of Jan Łukasiewicz (1878–1956), Leśniewski and Kotarbiński. The paper is limited to the discussion of the most important of their reflections on natural language, in particular to what is most characteristic of them: elaborated and deep analyses of semantic sections connected with epistemological ones, and pragmatic sections connected with psychological ones, all presented with great attention to clarity, precision and comprehensibility of formulations. Major semantic conceptions of Ingarden were also mentioned: the theory of meaning as a relation between an intending object and an intentional object, as well as semantic differences between a name, verb and sentence.

The conceptual system of the Lvov-Warsaw School

The conceptual system of the Lvov-Warsaw School

Logic and Philosophy in the Lvov-Warsaw School (review)

Logic and Philosophy in the Lvov-Warsaw School (review)

A review of: “LOGIC AND PHILOSOPHY IN THE LVOV-WARSAW SCHOOL”, by Jan Woleński, Kluwer, Dordrecht (The Netherlands) and Boston, 1989. xiv + 364 pages.

A review of: “<i>LOGIC AND PHILOSOPHY IN THE LVOV-WARSAW SCHOOL</i>”, by Jan Woleński, Kluwer, Dordrecht (The Netherlands) and Boston, 1989. xiv + 364 pages.

ON PRAXIOLOGY OF PREPARATORY ACTIONS

Abstract Praxiology, the so-called science of efficient action, is a French-Polish contribution to systemism. The French chapter of praxiology belongs to its prehistory, while the classical praxiology of the 20th century has been originated and developed by Polish philospher Tadeusz Kotarbinski (1886-1981), a member of well known Lvov-Warsaw school of philosophy and logic. The paper is dedicated to the 100th anniversary of Tadeusz Kotarbithski's birthday. In the article a new chapter of praxiological studies, i.e., science of efficient action preparation, called preparatorics, is introduced. The sub-discipline is considered as praxiological response to the growing importance of pre-actions in general and meta-actions, like decision-making, designing, planning, and other practical problem solving activities, in particular.

The development of logic and the philosophy of science in Poland after the Second World War

The history which we will present is still too close to reality to avoid a fragmentary and subjective treatment. The need for a contemporary, synthetic review is, however, so great that despite these risks, attempts at surveying the newest scientific works are made1. Keeping in mind the difficulties as well as the need, we offer our observations on the topics indicated by the title of this paper with great caution. First we will review the educational and organizational situation, then publications, and finally the main set of problems and achievements of logic and methodology in Poland. After the Second World War, Polish formal logic and methodology of science renewed its ties with the rich, pioneering tradition of the inter-war period. The representatives of the Lvov-Warsaw school played the main role here2. Many of them died tragically; a few managed to find not only shelter but even permanent residence abroad (for example: J. Lukasiewicz, A. Tarski, J. M. Bochenski, B. Soboci?ski, Cz. Lejewski, H. Mehlberg). Those who survived energetically set about the continuation of the splendid tradition of Polish logic and philosophy of science. Thanks to these people in great measure these sciences have developed to such a degree that some branches of these sciences must be considered as an important achievement on the world scene.