Philosophy as the Foundation of Knowledge, Action and Ethos

The volume contains a selection of texts presented during the Conference: University – Philosophy as the Foundation of Knowledge, Action and Ethos, which was organized by the University of Łódź (on 11–13th June 2015) to celebrate the 70th anniversary of its foundation. The works contained in the volume pertain to very diverse topics, and for this reason the content of the book is divided into four chapters. Chapter one includes essays which present Kotarbinski’s life and scientific work. The second chapter concentrates on some theoretical problems of knowledge and epistemology. In the third chapter, different problems of ethics, religion and theory of action are discussed. Chapter four focuses on contemporary problems in social sciences and humanities and the state of affairs in those fields. The volume juxtaposes various current philosophical problems in a most impressive way.

Janusz Kaczmarek, Ryszard Kleszcz, Introduction 9 CHAPTER I. Kotarbiński as a Rector, Teacher and Person 11 Wojciech Gasparski, The University’s 70th anniversary 13 Tadeusz Gerstenkorn, Professor Tadeusz Kotarbinski and Philosophy at the Time of his Term of Office as Rector at the University of Łódź in a Former Student’s Reminiscences 17 Ryszard Panasiuk, Tadeusz Kotarbiński – a Philosopher and a Teacher 23 CHAPTER II. Knowing 31 Janusz Kaczmarek, Abstract objects: Species, Kinds, Concepts 33 Peter Machamer and Alison Springle, Perceiving and Knowing as Activities 43 Krystyna Misiuna, How to Define the Notion of Knowledge which Solves the Gettier Problem 59 Peter Simons, Confluence: the Galician Origins of Polish Analytic Philosophy 81 Jan Woleński, The Absoluteness of Truth and the Lvov–Warsaw School (Twardowski, Kotarbiński, Leśniewski, Łukasiewicz, Tarski, Kokoszyńska) 97 CHAPTER III. Acting – Believing – Reasoning 111 Dariusz Łukasiewicz, Tadeusz Kotarbiński on God and Religion 113 Janusz Maciaszek, The Notion of Action in Kotarbiński’s Praxeology 123 Gunnar Skirbekk, Action and Ethics. A Historical Perspective on the Late Frankfurt School (Apel, Habermas, Wellmer) 137 Andrzej Szostek, Is Tadeusz Kotarbiński’s Independent Ethics Program Important Nowadays 153 Urszula M. Żegleń, Between Contingency and Necessity of Human Action. Are We Free in our Choices? 169 CHAPTER IV. What about Humanities? 181 Dawid Misztal, Tomasz Sieczkowski, Ill Fare the Humanities 183 Bartosz Pokorski, An Attempt to Update Edward Dembowski’s Philosophy of Creation 199 Roger Pouivet, Kotarbiński’s Ontology of Humanities 209