The subject of this paper is modern representative democracy. Instead of discussing the many theories which strive to define and describe the essence of democracy, such as the classic, the competitive, the structural, the participatory, the concessionary, etc., it is our aim to present the various practical approaches to "democracy in action" in the post-Communist period, i.e., to characterize the various notions of the axiological and philosophical assumptions that provide the cornerstone of democracy.

Summary The logical structure of the complete process of argumentation in the historical science is deductive. It implies confirmation and disconfirmation of hypotheses with the help of the concept of the indicator, which is more objective and more universal than the one of the source; the problem of the objectivity of criteria of the reasoning of hypotheses is being discussed.

The paper tries to show that the theory of Srzednicki and Żurkowska can be viewed as an new and interesting solution of the classical problem: Can we cognize the objective reality? The theory discussed here conquer the cognitive skepticism on the condition, that there is not a impassable gap between the pre-ego experiencing without the notions and the subject cognizing by using the notions.

The paper proposes a metaaxiological political framework, which is the ground for the thesis that the central idea that underlies politics is well-being and its improvement. Every political activity relies on certain goods, values and standards forming its operational framework. The aim and essence of politics is to ensure the realization of constitutive values. These values include the normative concept of the human being and constitutive values underpinning the functioning of the state and political community (i.e. good life, justice, freedom, (...) security, peace, identity, unity, rule of law, representation, sovereignty, legitimacy). On the one hand, the normative values represent preconditions that have to be present in every political sphere. On the other, they serve as ideals pursued by states and political systems. They are investigated by means of normative typological categories. (shrink)

The use of specific language in the democratic Polish Constitution enacted on 2 April 1997 has created the essential differences in the status of religions and Churches in Poland to this in some other countries. It accepts the modern principles and values (tolerance, freedom, mutual independence of state and churches) but precludes the atheistic, hostile or indifferent to religions interpretations and implementations of these values and principles.

Discusses philosophical ethics in the canonical Gospels, both in its normative (formal and material) dimension, and in a descriptive dimension (as science about morality). It argues that the ethics present in the Gospels has a universal and non-denominational character, although it is not reduced to it. The author argues that in the Gospels Jesus mad acceptance and the implementation of ethical goods, values and material norms dependent on the level of ethical awareness of his recipients. --Book cover.

The paper describes the modern morality as conditional morality, represented by theories of social contract and utilitarianism. They conditionally impose the moral duties on people, if the other people fulfil moral duties, too. As a result they justify the use of the political power to compel the citizens to public morality, leaving a certain margin of freedom to individual morality in the private domain which is fairly inconsequential for collective life. Public morality, on the other hand, is rigorously regulated and (...) precisely defined by statutory laws and political authority. An individual citizen thus becomes incapacitated in the public domain: reduced to accepting decisions adopted by the ruling group, perhaps also electing them once per several years. Unconditional morality, as represented by evangelical or Kant’s ethics, imposes rights, obligations and moral duties on individuals, requires compliance with them regardless of other individuals or groups. It may never constitute a foundation justifying violence, use of force, abuse of power, deception or restriction of liberty. Within this framework, such actions are considered immoral, irrespective of whether they occur in the institutionalized form or otherwise. (shrink)

The subject of this paper is modern representative democracy. Instead of discussing the many theories which strive to define and describe the essence of democracy, such as the classic, the competitive, the structural, the participatory, the concessionary, etc., it is our aim to present the various practical approaches to "democracy in action" in the post-Communist period, i.e., to characterize the various notions of the axiological and philosophical assumptions that provide the cornerstone of democracy.

The authors of this book, scholars from Austria, Czech Republic, Hungary, Ukraina, Kirghizia and Poland, seek to answer the question, in what way the Westeuropean and postcommunist countries respond to the challenges posed to them by democratization in Central and Eastern Europe and European constitutional politics and policymaking. New democracies necessarily pose a challenge to non-democratic states, because they liberated themselves from the totalitarian regime. They pose a challenge for the old liberal democracies too, because they try to compromise individual (...) interests and freedoms with traditional prepolitical and political group identities. But just the model of democracy can be followed in many non-Western countries which aspire to establish a democratic order. This book raises the questions that are particularly significant to the present-day political practice in its European and global dimensions. It is intended as a companion volume for all those who combine their academic research with wider interests in the promoting of democracy in the period of globalization and under the new pressures of European constitutional politics. (shrink)

The paper concerns the principles presupposed in political protest against the totalitarian regime. In contrast to the utilitarian view of participating in political protest the author tries to suggest the moral model of political protest. According to this model, the main reason and motif for challenging the regime is the transgression of the limits of concession, which jeopardizes the spiritual identity and essential qualities of the individuals and all groups. The participants of the protest do not calculate in terms of (...) egoistic or private interests and utilities but in terms of moral values. They consider what action is morally "good" and "bad" or morally "better" or "worse" in this situation, disregarding their personal profits and happiness. The overthrow of the communist system is an incalculating and contingent result of combating the extreme manifestations and worst excesses of the system. (shrink)

The article refers exclusively to the Carl Schmitt’s political theology. His three conceptions of political theology and corresponding theoretical approaches are reconstructed and precisely analysed. The first conception is called the sociology of concepts or the theory of analogies between religious and legal-political concepts. The second Schmitt’s approach to political theology is the eschatological conception. Both these conceptions are basically descriptive and analytical. Solely the third conception is normative (and political), therefore, its presents the concept of political theology as a (...) normative approach to the Political. (shrink)

Przedmowa........................................................................................... . 9 I. Głosy amerykańskie Michael Walzer, Samotna polityka Michela Foucaulta (przeł. Marek Kw iek )................................................................................ 13 Richard Rorty, Moralna tożsamość a prywatna autonomia: przypadek Foucaulta (przeł. Marek K w iek )............................... 29 Martin Jay, Granice doświadczenia granicznego: Bataille i Foucault (przeł. Marek K w iek )................................................ 37 David Couzens Hoy, Foucault a teoria krytyczna (przeł. Marek Kwiek)............................................................................................ 61 Charles Taylor, Foucault o wolności i prawdzie (przeł. Marek Kwiek)............................................................................................ 81 II. Głosy polskie Jerzy Kmita, Jacy moglibyśmy b y ć?................................................ 109 (...) Tadeusz Buksiński, Historia - władza - metoda.......................... 139 Zygmunt Bauman, Nie odwzajemniona miłość: o państwie i intelektualistach (przeł. Marek Kwiek)....................................153 Jerzy Topolski, Ta „pusta” kategoria zmiany: człowiek i historia, w koncepcji Michela Foucaulta..........................................183 Marek Kwiek, Kant - Nietzsche - Foucault. Rzecz o dawaniu przykładu w f i lo z o f i i...................................................................... 199 Anna Jamroziakowa, Obraz i tekst. Głód rzeczywistości a czuła imaginatywność................................................................239 Ewa N owak-Juchacz, Nie sądząc i nie przesądzając: niemieckie „podróże” Foucaulta................................................... 255 Grzegorz Dziamski, Michel Foucault: z ducha s z tu k i................ 277 Marek Kwiek, Michel Foucault - rozdział polski (appendix mniej filozoficzny)..........................................................................289 Dane o oryginałach tłumaczeń..........................................................303 Nota o autorach...................................................................................305. (shrink)