The paper reconstructs the history of the text entitled Facies perturbatae et afflictae Reipublic... more The paper reconstructs the history of the text entitled Facies perturbatae et afflictae Reipublicae, written in 1564 by Jan Dymitr Solikowski, a secretary to Sigismundus Augustus, King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania. Research focuses on its origin, publication history, the causes of its attribution to Stanisław Orzechowski and the connections between this text and Orzechowski’s works. The historical and philological analyses presented in the article made it possible to speculate on how the studied text functioned within the broadly understood Polish nobles’ ideology and how its various interpretations were associated with political phenomena from the text’s creation until the 1630s.
Tekst stanowi komentarz do publikowanego przekładu tekstu O antropolizie autorstwa Benjamina Brat... more Tekst stanowi komentarz do publikowanego przekładu tekstu O antropolizie autorstwa Benjamina Brattona, kalifornijskiego teoretyka dizajnu i twórcy nowego modelu geografii politycznej. W związku z tym, że Bratton nie był dotychczas tłumaczony na język polski, podejmuję się krótkiego przedstawienia jego postaci i dokonań, koncentrując się przede wszystkim na książce The Stack: On Software and Sovereignty (2016). Krytycznie omawiając koncepcję Stosu (ang. The Stack), która w zamierzeniu autora ma zrewolucjonizować myślenie o władzy i suwerenności, przedstawiam miejsce Brattona w najnowszej historii intelektualnej, założenia teoretyczne leżące u zrębów jego myśli, a także identyfikuję jego inspiracje. Następnie omawiam tekst O antropolizie, pokazując, w jaki sposób pojęcie antropolizy rozwiązuje niektóre trudności wynikające z lektury The Stack.
The article aims at exposing the influence that metaphysics and metaphysical concepts – such as t... more The article aims at exposing the influence that metaphysics and metaphysical concepts – such as the good, the truth, the subject – exert on φύσις, understood as the natural, the here‑present, the usual, or the everyday. I suggest that this influence be defined as nihilation (nicestwienie, Nichtung). I begin by reassessing Heidegger’s critique of metaphysics, focusing on his lecture Plato’s Doctrine of Truth. Then I discuss a contemporary form of Platonism represented by Alain Badiou, who is attempting to overcome the antimetaphysical stance taken by continental philosophy after Heidegger. The Badiouan project is analyzed as possibly nonnihilatory metaphysical proposition. Particular attention is given to the differences between Badiou and Plato, which are exposed by analyzing, on the basis of Badiou’s mathematical ontology, the connections between ontotheology and Plato’s theory of principles. The Badiouan project, striving for a continuance of the metaphysical tradition, is then subject to the same Heideggerian critique that was originally launched to deconstruct the Platonic foundations of metaphysics. Finally, the relation of Heidegger’s philosophy to Platonism is examined. An analogy is drawn between the attitude of Heidegger to metaphysics and the complex relations of the theoretical aspect of Plato’s work with the imaginary of the myths contained in his dialogues.
The text is a review of Heinrich Dörrie's "Der Platonismus in der Antike" ("Platonism in Antiquit... more The text is a review of Heinrich Dörrie's "Der Platonismus in der Antike" ("Platonism in Antiquity"), a monumental eight-volume editorial series published since 1987, encompassing various textual witnesses to ancient Platonic culture. I elaborate on the usefulness of the series as a research tool, on its most important theoretical assumptions and on its criticism, expressed particularly by Thomas Alexander Szlezák and Werner Beierwaltes
Joseph Roth’s "Job" (1930) tells the story of shtetl Jews from Volhynia and their journey to Amer... more Joseph Roth’s "Job" (1930) tells the story of shtetl Jews from Volhynia and their journey to America during World War I. The novel focuses on two fundamental relations: that of the father and son, and that of the believer and God. Roth presents the dynamics of these relations on the background of the contrast between the Old and the New World. He uses the theme of the migration of shtetl Jews to metonymically reflect the processes of modernization which gradually, throughout centuries, transformed human life. The tragedies experienced by the main protagonists are caused by the necessity of a rapid assimilation, while the rebellion against God and the radical self-negation (a thorough refashioning of one’s existential priorities) result from the waning of traditional modes of life and from the recognition of the contingency of one’s existence.
A lengthy interview with Wojciech Kunicki, Professor of German Studies and acknowledged translato... more A lengthy interview with Wojciech Kunicki, Professor of German Studies and acknowledged translator, concerning life and work of Ernst Jünger. I focus mainly on Jünger's complex philosophical and political position and explore some less-known aspects of his work, such as his attitude towards leftist radicalism (RAF), drug use, post-historicity and gender issues.
A review of the recent edition of Albert Lautman's (1908-1944) oeuvre. Lautman, a philosopher and... more A review of the recent edition of Albert Lautman's (1908-1944) oeuvre. Lautman, a philosopher and a mathematician, was a student of Leon Brunschvicg and a colleague of better-known Jean Cavaillès and Raymond Aron. His works were largely neglected and absent in post-war French intellectual life. Gilles Deleuze and Alain Badiou were perhaps the only recognized philosophers who drew from it. A recent English translation resulted in an increased interested from the so-called speculative realist circle.
Considering principles of metaphysics and theology in his 2nd century CE treatise titled Περὶ Ἀρχ... more Considering principles of metaphysics and theology in his 2nd century CE treatise titled Περὶ Ἀρχῶν, Origen of Alexandria formulates an original cosmological hypothesis, blending Greek philosophical tradition with Early Christian beliefs. While Περὶ Ἀρχῶν remains probably the first attempt to deliver a comprehensive philosophical explanation to the Christian dogma, unavailability of the lost Greek text makes the interpretational work much harder. This paper aims at recontructing the basic ideas of Origen's cosmology, using Latin free translation completed by Rufinus of Aquilea around 399 as a primary source.
Focusing on textual analysis of fragments of Metaphysics Λ, I try to apply Assmann's mosaic disti... more Focusing on textual analysis of fragments of Metaphysics Λ, I try to apply Assmann's mosaic distinction to conceptualizing hypothetical socio-religious component of Aristotle's Theology. I assume that the fundamental claim of Metaphysics Λ is that the world is an apprehensible Totality governed by it's highest part. Then I trace how Aristotle tries to defend his claim as he confronts his theory with psychological and astronomical investigations. In the conclusion, I reconstruct metapolitical implications of the theoretical structure and refer it to Assmann's concept.
A philosophy students' and graduates' conference organized by me under the auspices of Count Augu... more A philosophy students' and graduates' conference organized by me under the auspices of Count August Cieszkowski Foundation (http://kronos.org.pl). The conference theme was the repetition. The presentations by both graduate and PhD students and academic staff problematized the concept of repetition and it's various exemplifications in historical, genealogical, hermeneutical, comparative and speculative manners.
A student's philosophical conference in a mountain hut organized by me under the auspices of Coun... more A student's philosophical conference in a mountain hut organized by me under the auspices of Count August Cieszkowski Foundation (http://kronos.org.pl). The conference theme was work and action, broadly understood. The presentations by both graduate and PhD students and academic staff focused on ancient philosophy (Plato and Aristotle), German philosophy (Nietzsche, Jünger, Heidegger) and philosophy and sociology of technology and action.
Quentin Meillassoux, a contemporary French philosopher, endeavours to coin a new concept of the A... more Quentin Meillassoux, a contemporary French philosopher, endeavours to coin a new concept of the Absolute. Beginning with an attack on correlatonism (i.e. a Kantian belief of the neccessity of correlation between the subject and the object), he reconsiders Hume’s problem – our unability to prove the necessity of any law of nature – and via speculation arrives to a proposition of contingence of all things and Chaos-like, irrational Absolute. Here, the new problem arises: how intelligible (i.e. mathematizable) world is possible under the reign of the irrational Absolute? While to understand Meillassoux’s method we must turn to Hegel, the fulfillment of his speculation seems to require a deeper understanding of Ancient Philosophy, which is, quite unjustly, labelled by him as “dogmatic”.
De Principiis, the main dogmatical writing by Origen from early 3rd century and one of the first ... more De Principiis, the main dogmatical writing by Origen from early 3rd century and one of the first and most profound attempts to give a philosophical explication of Early Christian dogma is extant only in 397 Latin free translation by Rufinus of Aquilea, except for fragments preserved in Philokalia. Due to Origenist controversies spanning from late 4th to mid-6th century, a number of secondary sources is available. Being an expression of fierce religious polemics, almost all of these are paraphrases or summaries of alleged Origen’s doctrine. Such are found in De Sectis, late 6th century treatise of disputed authorship. The task before the researcher is to distinguish these passages which are to clarify our understanding of De Principiis from those in which the author himself misinterprets it. Since De Sectis is written in Greek, it happens to be particularly helpful when it comes to words. Such an important word is καταβολή, used by Origen as terminus technicus organizing his philosophical intepretation of Fall of Man and creation of the material world. Without contradicting Rufinus’ translation, De Sectis provides us with more clear explanation of the role of διάβολος in καταβολή than any other source, allowing us to reconstruct Origen’s view on the Fall by analizing concepts of καταβολή and διάβολος with the methods of cognitive linguistics. Yet careful reading proves that what De Sectis misleadingly presents as Origen’s view of Divine Justice is not only contrary to doctrine found in Rufinus’ translation but also similar to Valentinan dogma which Origen actively opposed.
The paper reconstructs the history of the text entitled Facies perturbatae et afflictae Reipublic... more The paper reconstructs the history of the text entitled Facies perturbatae et afflictae Reipublicae, written in 1564 by Jan Dymitr Solikowski, a secretary to Sigismundus Augustus, King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania. Research focuses on its origin, publication history, the causes of its attribution to Stanisław Orzechowski and the connections between this text and Orzechowski’s works. The historical and philological analyses presented in the article made it possible to speculate on how the studied text functioned within the broadly understood Polish nobles’ ideology and how its various interpretations were associated with political phenomena from the text’s creation until the 1630s.
Tekst stanowi komentarz do publikowanego przekładu tekstu O antropolizie autorstwa Benjamina Brat... more Tekst stanowi komentarz do publikowanego przekładu tekstu O antropolizie autorstwa Benjamina Brattona, kalifornijskiego teoretyka dizajnu i twórcy nowego modelu geografii politycznej. W związku z tym, że Bratton nie był dotychczas tłumaczony na język polski, podejmuję się krótkiego przedstawienia jego postaci i dokonań, koncentrując się przede wszystkim na książce The Stack: On Software and Sovereignty (2016). Krytycznie omawiając koncepcję Stosu (ang. The Stack), która w zamierzeniu autora ma zrewolucjonizować myślenie o władzy i suwerenności, przedstawiam miejsce Brattona w najnowszej historii intelektualnej, założenia teoretyczne leżące u zrębów jego myśli, a także identyfikuję jego inspiracje. Następnie omawiam tekst O antropolizie, pokazując, w jaki sposób pojęcie antropolizy rozwiązuje niektóre trudności wynikające z lektury The Stack.
The article aims at exposing the influence that metaphysics and metaphysical concepts – such as t... more The article aims at exposing the influence that metaphysics and metaphysical concepts – such as the good, the truth, the subject – exert on φύσις, understood as the natural, the here‑present, the usual, or the everyday. I suggest that this influence be defined as nihilation (nicestwienie, Nichtung). I begin by reassessing Heidegger’s critique of metaphysics, focusing on his lecture Plato’s Doctrine of Truth. Then I discuss a contemporary form of Platonism represented by Alain Badiou, who is attempting to overcome the antimetaphysical stance taken by continental philosophy after Heidegger. The Badiouan project is analyzed as possibly nonnihilatory metaphysical proposition. Particular attention is given to the differences between Badiou and Plato, which are exposed by analyzing, on the basis of Badiou’s mathematical ontology, the connections between ontotheology and Plato’s theory of principles. The Badiouan project, striving for a continuance of the metaphysical tradition, is then subject to the same Heideggerian critique that was originally launched to deconstruct the Platonic foundations of metaphysics. Finally, the relation of Heidegger’s philosophy to Platonism is examined. An analogy is drawn between the attitude of Heidegger to metaphysics and the complex relations of the theoretical aspect of Plato’s work with the imaginary of the myths contained in his dialogues.
The text is a review of Heinrich Dörrie's "Der Platonismus in der Antike" ("Platonism in Antiquit... more The text is a review of Heinrich Dörrie's "Der Platonismus in der Antike" ("Platonism in Antiquity"), a monumental eight-volume editorial series published since 1987, encompassing various textual witnesses to ancient Platonic culture. I elaborate on the usefulness of the series as a research tool, on its most important theoretical assumptions and on its criticism, expressed particularly by Thomas Alexander Szlezák and Werner Beierwaltes
Joseph Roth’s "Job" (1930) tells the story of shtetl Jews from Volhynia and their journey to Amer... more Joseph Roth’s "Job" (1930) tells the story of shtetl Jews from Volhynia and their journey to America during World War I. The novel focuses on two fundamental relations: that of the father and son, and that of the believer and God. Roth presents the dynamics of these relations on the background of the contrast between the Old and the New World. He uses the theme of the migration of shtetl Jews to metonymically reflect the processes of modernization which gradually, throughout centuries, transformed human life. The tragedies experienced by the main protagonists are caused by the necessity of a rapid assimilation, while the rebellion against God and the radical self-negation (a thorough refashioning of one’s existential priorities) result from the waning of traditional modes of life and from the recognition of the contingency of one’s existence.
A lengthy interview with Wojciech Kunicki, Professor of German Studies and acknowledged translato... more A lengthy interview with Wojciech Kunicki, Professor of German Studies and acknowledged translator, concerning life and work of Ernst Jünger. I focus mainly on Jünger's complex philosophical and political position and explore some less-known aspects of his work, such as his attitude towards leftist radicalism (RAF), drug use, post-historicity and gender issues.
A review of the recent edition of Albert Lautman's (1908-1944) oeuvre. Lautman, a philosopher and... more A review of the recent edition of Albert Lautman's (1908-1944) oeuvre. Lautman, a philosopher and a mathematician, was a student of Leon Brunschvicg and a colleague of better-known Jean Cavaillès and Raymond Aron. His works were largely neglected and absent in post-war French intellectual life. Gilles Deleuze and Alain Badiou were perhaps the only recognized philosophers who drew from it. A recent English translation resulted in an increased interested from the so-called speculative realist circle.
Considering principles of metaphysics and theology in his 2nd century CE treatise titled Περὶ Ἀρχ... more Considering principles of metaphysics and theology in his 2nd century CE treatise titled Περὶ Ἀρχῶν, Origen of Alexandria formulates an original cosmological hypothesis, blending Greek philosophical tradition with Early Christian beliefs. While Περὶ Ἀρχῶν remains probably the first attempt to deliver a comprehensive philosophical explanation to the Christian dogma, unavailability of the lost Greek text makes the interpretational work much harder. This paper aims at recontructing the basic ideas of Origen's cosmology, using Latin free translation completed by Rufinus of Aquilea around 399 as a primary source.
Focusing on textual analysis of fragments of Metaphysics Λ, I try to apply Assmann's mosaic disti... more Focusing on textual analysis of fragments of Metaphysics Λ, I try to apply Assmann's mosaic distinction to conceptualizing hypothetical socio-religious component of Aristotle's Theology. I assume that the fundamental claim of Metaphysics Λ is that the world is an apprehensible Totality governed by it's highest part. Then I trace how Aristotle tries to defend his claim as he confronts his theory with psychological and astronomical investigations. In the conclusion, I reconstruct metapolitical implications of the theoretical structure and refer it to Assmann's concept.
A philosophy students' and graduates' conference organized by me under the auspices of Count Augu... more A philosophy students' and graduates' conference organized by me under the auspices of Count August Cieszkowski Foundation (http://kronos.org.pl). The conference theme was the repetition. The presentations by both graduate and PhD students and academic staff problematized the concept of repetition and it's various exemplifications in historical, genealogical, hermeneutical, comparative and speculative manners.
A student's philosophical conference in a mountain hut organized by me under the auspices of Coun... more A student's philosophical conference in a mountain hut organized by me under the auspices of Count August Cieszkowski Foundation (http://kronos.org.pl). The conference theme was work and action, broadly understood. The presentations by both graduate and PhD students and academic staff focused on ancient philosophy (Plato and Aristotle), German philosophy (Nietzsche, Jünger, Heidegger) and philosophy and sociology of technology and action.
Quentin Meillassoux, a contemporary French philosopher, endeavours to coin a new concept of the A... more Quentin Meillassoux, a contemporary French philosopher, endeavours to coin a new concept of the Absolute. Beginning with an attack on correlatonism (i.e. a Kantian belief of the neccessity of correlation between the subject and the object), he reconsiders Hume’s problem – our unability to prove the necessity of any law of nature – and via speculation arrives to a proposition of contingence of all things and Chaos-like, irrational Absolute. Here, the new problem arises: how intelligible (i.e. mathematizable) world is possible under the reign of the irrational Absolute? While to understand Meillassoux’s method we must turn to Hegel, the fulfillment of his speculation seems to require a deeper understanding of Ancient Philosophy, which is, quite unjustly, labelled by him as “dogmatic”.
De Principiis, the main dogmatical writing by Origen from early 3rd century and one of the first ... more De Principiis, the main dogmatical writing by Origen from early 3rd century and one of the first and most profound attempts to give a philosophical explication of Early Christian dogma is extant only in 397 Latin free translation by Rufinus of Aquilea, except for fragments preserved in Philokalia. Due to Origenist controversies spanning from late 4th to mid-6th century, a number of secondary sources is available. Being an expression of fierce religious polemics, almost all of these are paraphrases or summaries of alleged Origen’s doctrine. Such are found in De Sectis, late 6th century treatise of disputed authorship. The task before the researcher is to distinguish these passages which are to clarify our understanding of De Principiis from those in which the author himself misinterprets it. Since De Sectis is written in Greek, it happens to be particularly helpful when it comes to words. Such an important word is καταβολή, used by Origen as terminus technicus organizing his philosophical intepretation of Fall of Man and creation of the material world. Without contradicting Rufinus’ translation, De Sectis provides us with more clear explanation of the role of διάβολος in καταβολή than any other source, allowing us to reconstruct Origen’s view on the Fall by analizing concepts of καταβολή and διάβολος with the methods of cognitive linguistics. Yet careful reading proves that what De Sectis misleadingly presents as Origen’s view of Divine Justice is not only contrary to doctrine found in Rufinus’ translation but also similar to Valentinan dogma which Origen actively opposed.
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Since De Sectis is written in Greek, it happens to be particularly helpful when it comes to words. Such an important word is καταβολή, used by Origen as terminus technicus organizing his philosophical intepretation of Fall of Man and creation of the material world. Without contradicting Rufinus’ translation, De Sectis provides us with more clear explanation of the role of διάβολος in καταβολή than any other source, allowing us to reconstruct Origen’s view on the Fall by analizing concepts of καταβολή and διάβολος with the methods of cognitive linguistics. Yet careful reading proves that what De Sectis misleadingly presents as Origen’s view of Divine Justice is not only contrary to doctrine found in Rufinus’ translation but also similar to Valentinan dogma which Origen actively opposed.
Since De Sectis is written in Greek, it happens to be particularly helpful when it comes to words. Such an important word is καταβολή, used by Origen as terminus technicus organizing his philosophical intepretation of Fall of Man and creation of the material world. Without contradicting Rufinus’ translation, De Sectis provides us with more clear explanation of the role of διάβολος in καταβολή than any other source, allowing us to reconstruct Origen’s view on the Fall by analizing concepts of καταβολή and διάβολος with the methods of cognitive linguistics. Yet careful reading proves that what De Sectis misleadingly presents as Origen’s view of Divine Justice is not only contrary to doctrine found in Rufinus’ translation but also similar to Valentinan dogma which Origen actively opposed.