A. Einstein, “Kosmologische Betrachtungen zur allgemeinen Relativitätstheorie”, Sitzung der Physikalisch-mathematischen Klasse vom 8. Februar 1917, „Sitzungsberichte der Preußischen Akad. d. Wissenschaften, 1917”, pp. 142–152. Translated to Polish from original German work by Robert Janusz.

The status of scientific theory is determined by a philosophical conception of science. The article seeks to present the different status of scientific theory in a comparative analysis of philosophical conceptions of science (inductivism, hypothetism, paradigmatism and intuitionistic conception of science).

The author formulates in this article a point of view, which is prompted by works dealing with the problem of logical values. There is analyzed a view that logical value of the sentence p is identical or at least connected with an answer to a question making it necessary to determine: The analysis is also focussed on four questions-problems: 1. Can a question be always formulated? 2. Does an answer always exist? 3. Do conjunctions influence an answer in the case (...) of and how? 4. Does only one answer exist? (shrink)

The purpose of this article is a critical reconstruction of the Platonic conception of laughter, which is presented primarily in Republic and Philebus. A comic quality calls, in his opinion, to lower emotions, it throws human mind out of balance and undermines the prevailing order of values. The philosopher associates a laughter with the feeling of envy, which comes down to the joy of humiliating of someone weaker. The comic envy - as opposed to passive jealousy - almost automatically leads (...) to the activity, to the enhancement of humiliation. Laughter is caused according to Plato by a defect resulting from the ignorance about himself. The key feature of the comic situation is the asymmetry between the victim's weakness and the strength of a laughing person. Plato's concept of laughter turns out to be one-sided, when we compare it with "laughter of Democritus" which serves as a therapeutic and catharctic means. Laughter is here a clear signal that initiates the critical reflection on himself and gives impetus to a change of attitude towards the world. In his writings Plato did not include such educational and cognitive aspects of laughter because in his philosophy it becomes a specific antagonist of true knowledge. The negative attitude towards laughter does not go hand in hand with Plato’s recognition of Socrates, who used irony as a key element in his method of inquiry leading to truth. (shrink)

FRANCIS SUÁREZ’S VIEWS ON THE RELATION BETWEEN THE ABSOLUTE POWER OF GOD AND THE NATURAL LAW The article presents Francis Suárez’s views concerning the problem of the possibility of granting dispensation from the natural law by the absolute power of God. Suárez’s opinions on this matter were shown in his comprehensive work on the philosophy of law: De legibus ac Deo legislatore, in Book II De lege aeterna, naturali, et jure gentium, chapter XV entitled Utrum Deus dispensare possit in lege (...) naturali etiam de absoluta potestate. Analyzing the notion of natural law Suárez accepts the Thomistic formula, according to which, the created world is a collection of things with invariable natures. These natures require us to fulfil certain moral obligations and to act in a proper manner. And for this reason, natural law, included in the Decalogue, is invariable and even God is not able to grant its dispensation. The commandments involve an intrinsic principle of justice and obligation and for this reason they are not liable to dispensation. God cannot act contrary to His own nature and His being just, so He would not order people to do something intrinsically unjust. Doctor Eximius justifies moral norms expressed in the Decalogue axiologically, not in a voluntaristic way, by referring to God’s will alone. Suárez criticises both strong theological voluntarism, attributed to Ockham, as well as weak theological voluntarism, attributed to John Duns Scotus. Keywords: FRANCIS SUÁREZ, ABSOLUTE POWER OF GOD, NATURAL LAW. (shrink)

The source basis of the article is composed of pope John Paul’s II encyclicals – Laborem exercens (1981), Solicitudo rei socialis (1987), Centesimus annus (1991), Fides et ratio (1998), the Apostle’s Letter Tertio Millennio adveniente (1994) as well as the interview with priest cardinal Karol Wojtyla given to Vittorio Possenti on 21st of June 1978 in Mediolan. I shall separate the following issues:1) relations of concepts: social teaching of the Church, social doctrine of the Church and catholic social teaching; 2) (...) relation theory – practice from the point of view of social doctrine of the Church; 3) social doctrine of the Church versus ideology; 4) in what sense may we talk about the historism of social doctrine of the Church?; 5) periodisation of the development of social doctrine of the Church. (shrink)

The subject of the article is the concept of a man formed by a Polish philosopher and sociologist Erazm Majewski. A special attention was paid the premises, which as defined by Majewski, enabled a man to cross the borders of the animal world. Anthropological studies conducted by Majewski contributed to a deeper understanding of an exceptional being, i.e. man. Majewski made an attempt to solve the riddle of man from the perspective of both natural history and sociology.

The basis for considering the problem of the ‘gender revolution’ is the historiosophical concept developed by Rolf Peter Sieferle, who assumes that for about 200 years, Europe has been evolving from agrarian civilisation towards a new type of energy based on fossil fuels. A characteristic feature of this transformation process is the belief that man is the ‘master of forms’ – all elements of the earlier order, which were perceived as natural for generations, have been questioned. The revolution overthrew the (...) existing hierarchical feudal order, created factories, the bourgeoisie and the proletariat in order to create a mass society, a welfare state and, finally, a progressive agenda. The revolutionary process also affected social roles, leading to women’s emancipation movements. At the current stage of the revolution, the natural division into two sexes has been questioned. The basic question is whether a person can really deny the idea of the natural order in such a fundamental way? The ecological crisis, caused by the first phase of the revolution, seems to confirm the doubts of those who believe that human beings are subject to external, natural limitations. (shrink)

Artykuł traktuje komiksy Chmielewskiego jako realizację fantastyki groteskowej. Autora artykułu interesuje przede wszystkim groteska językowa. Nieco mniejszą, lecz także istotną rolę pełnią w analizowanym komiksie motywy związane z antyutopią. Dzięki temu komiksy wydane po 1990 roku stają się odbiciem swoich czasów. Związek komiksów z fantastyką naukową polega na tym, że rzeczywistość komiksów jest obficie wypełniona motywami zaczerpniętymi ze współczesnych i dawnych utopii i utworów SF oraz aluzjami do tej lektury.