jacek9520@gmail.com
Western civilization, philosophy, theology, econonomics, political science, other
Spis treści / Contents
Western civilization and the European Phenomenon
The West’s Journey Beyond Death: Eschatology, Ammortality, and Potential Exhangeable Identities (2024)
English version of „Jak pokonać śmierć: od Edenu do wymiennych tożsamości. U źródeł dynamiki Zachodu”
The text serves as an expansion, supplement, and summary of several of my writings from recent years
Main thesis: The death anxiety, in its many historical forms, has been and continues to be an important driving force of our civilization. Today, as Western individuals lose faith in Christian eschatology and turn toward technology, the radical extension of life may lead to a loss of one’s existing identity, replaced by many successive ones. This could mark the starting point of a new stage in human evolution.
My other texts related to it include, among others: O ewolucji cywilizacji zachodniej (On the Evolution of Western Civilization) 2023; Następne sto, dwieście lat: czy śmierć zacznie stopniowo zanikać? (The Next Hundred, Two Hundred Years: Will Death Gradually Disappear?) 2022; Informacje wyprodukowane w historii Europy miarą modernizacji (Information Produced in European History as a Measure of Modernization) 2024; Cywilizacja zachodnia i Czas (Western Civilization and Time) 2012
The Amount of Information Produced in European History as a Measure of Modernization
[in Polish] The text proposes a synthetic measure of the historical pace of Europe’s development. This measure is based on the amount of information produced from the 6th to the 19th century. The calculations are derived from the work of Dutch historians Jan Luiten van Zanden and Eltjo Buringh. The text is accompanied by an MS Excel model that provides precise estimates and allows users to modify the calculations independently. Both the text and the model serve as an invitation to discuss a synthetic measure of the historical process of modernization (the model is available upon request).
On the Evolution of Western Civilization: Paper Presented at the 12th Polish Philosophical Congress (2023)
[in Polish] The organizer was the Polish Philosophical Society. The submission includes a four-page paper and three excerpts from the book: the introduction, the preface, and the résumé. Here is the link to the Congress program and my abstract (Session 21A, Philosophical Anthropology Section, Friday, September 15th): https://easychair.org/smart-program/12PZF/2023-09-15.html (3rd position from the top).
file size 8,2 MB, 9 pages
The Secularization of History: Notes on the Works of Wichrowski, Löwith, and Nisbet (2023)
[in Polish] Ipresent quotes and my own notes from three books dedicated to the evolving paradigms of historical narrative. My focus in these works is the issue of the secularization of historical narrative
Rok 2023, wielkość pliku 560 kB, wielkość tekstu – 20 stron
On the Evolution of Western Civilization (2023)
[in Polish] The book captures an idea of how to view the evolution of our civilization over several centuries to uncover the logic behind its development. The core of my concept is encapsulated in the subtitle: From the hope of heaven and fear of hell, through the modernization and secularization of the world, to seeking a cure for death in technology. The book can be seen as a starting platform for further research.
file size 1890 kB, 103 pages (40 pages of main texts + appendixes + bibliography). Current version November 1.7.2. A paper based on the book was presented at the 12th Polish Philosophical Congress in September 2023 in Łódź (Section of Philosophical Anthropology)
YouTube Lecture 1 – The History of Western Civilization: The Medieval European Phenomenon. An Overview of the Concept (2022)
[in Polish] The lecture presents the effects of Europe’s civilizational acceleration from the 11th–12th centuries in the fields of technology, economy, and science. It is a PowerPoint audio presentation available on YouTube, intended for beginner-level audiences.
Duration: 34 minutes
YouTube Lecture 2 – The History of Western Civilization: How the European Phenomenon Is Interpreted in World Literature (2022)
[in Polish] The lecture outlines the major strands of literature that seek to explain Europe’s civilizational acceleration starting in the 11th–12th centuries. It is a PowerPoint audio presentation available on YouTube, designed for beginner-level audiences.
Duration: 25 minutes
The Next 100–200 Years: Will Death Gradually Disappear? (2022), with an Addendum (2023)
[in Polish] The 20th century unprecedentedly extended the average lifespan and sparked even greater hopes. If we manage to go far beyond the current biological limits, what will happen to death? Looking to the future, I am a cautious optimist. But the hundreds of billions of dollars being invested in the anti-aging and life extension sectors are impressive. So, let’s consider this: if our lives were two to four times longer, wouldn’t that profoundly impact our perception of death? And would death look the same? I am convinced it would not.
file size 1000 kB, 63 pages
Expansion of Western civilization 1492 – 1914. Changes of the size of areas dependent on the West (2021)
[in English] The article presents calculations of territorial changes of individual colonial empires broken down into centuries and continents in the period 1492-1914. This is probably one of the first attempts to calculate these changes in detail over such a long period of time. My article and model in MS Excel answers a number of questions and is an invitation to further work.
2021, file size 1750 kB, text 15 pages, sources 6 pages, tables 37 pages © Jacek Kwaśniewski 2021
- pdf version Part I, text [in English]
- pdf version Part II, tables [in English] /Sept 15, 2021 small corrections made in pp 5-8/
- Excel spreadsheet [in English] available on request
A note on historical stimulators and inhibitors of economic growth. Europe, China, Asia (2021)
[in Polish] A short text from my archive. I present three significant theories explaining historical economic growth: those of E. Jones, A. Maddison, and D. North. I include brief information about three formalized theories of growth, as well as two concepts addressing the slowdown of China between the 16th and 19th centuries: the population brake theory and the misallocation of surplus theory. I also mention ideas from C. Bekar, M. Elvin, Z. Griliches, G.D. Hansen, Ch.R. Hulten, R. Lipsey, M. Kremer, J. Mokyr, E.C. Prescott, and R. Solow.
2021 (previously 2009, 2018), file size 745 kB, 14 pages
Why the Church and Christianity are so important in explicating the European Miracle? (2021)
[in Polish] Rationale behind the choice of the Church and Christianity as the main variables explicating the emergence of the European Phenomenon (The European Miracle)
2021, file size 600 kB, 4 pages
The Imperial Rome merchant fleet: size estimation
2021, file size 640 kB, 10 pages
[in Polish] Newly written point in my book “Medieval Merchant Ships”. I have read an excellent work by the Norwegian historian Johann Rasmus Brandt on an estimate of the size of the Roman merchant fleet of the Imperial era. Brandt summed up the work to date on this issue and presented a methodologically very clear estimate. I decided to delete the previous text on this issue in my book and use Brandt’s work. Besides I attach a spreadsheet if anybody wants to make self-counting of the size of the Roman merchant fleet using variables presented by Brandt
Non-empirical foundations of empirical sciences (2012)
2012, file size 360 kB, 41 pages
- pdf version (enter the password, clue: C46s32)
April 2020 working version, available on password
[in Polish] Twentieth-century philosophy of science, despite its many divergences, shares a common idea: the creation of scientific theories also involves statements that do not have empirical status, meaning they cannot be subjected to falsification procedures. Such statements are commonly referred to in the philosophy of science as metaphysical judgments. These are classified as external factors (e.g., Carnap, Popper), internal factors (e.g., Lakatos), or judgments accepted by consensus within the scientific community (e.g., Kuhn, Kitcher, Longino). This surprising consensus among such often radically different theories of science strongly legitimizes Christianity as a potential co-contributing factor to the development of modern science. The text is a work in progress.
The European Phenomenon and Christianity. Concept of the book and its advancement of May 2021
2021, file size 820 kB, 17 pages
English version. After years of work, the research project The European Phenomenon and Christianity has advanced to a point where most of its completed components can be presented. I encourage you to read this text, which provides a summary of the entire project along with links to the finished parts. Please read either the PDF version or the online version, available as the Christianitas subpage.
Role of Church and Christianity in technological changes in medieval Europe (2020)
2020, file size 2,4 MB, 95 pages. Shorter version was presented at IXth Philosophical Congress in Lublin (Poland) in September 2019 in Section Philosophy of Technology (Thursday)
[in Polish] The synthetic picture of the influence of the Church and doctrine, estimation of the Church and secular sphere participation in the medieval technological progress, an attempt to reconstruct Of Church’s policy of building a pro-innovative climate and many other issues; file size 2,4 MB, 95 pages.
The Middle Ages were an technologically creative era, and Christianity and the Church played an important role in the technological awakening of medieval Europe. The contribution of the Church was: 1 / its own participation in the creation of innovations, 2 / creation of technological demand, 3 / creation of human capital and the system of knowledge circulation, 4 / creation of market economy institutions supportive to innovations, 5 / ideological integration of Europe, fastening the circulation od technological ideas, 6 / creation of a pro-innovative climate. The latter element made Europe unique. The high innovativeness of medieval Europe was also influenced by external factors, e.g. the topography of the continent, the influence of incoming cultures, the import of distant technologies, ancient and Muslim heritage. In the overall innovation pool, the Church dominated the technologies related to the operation of the science infrastructure and the construction of a pro-innovative climate.
Medieval merchant ships (book, 2017)
A study in the history of technology and economic history
2017, file size 17 MB, 228 pages
[in Polish] Book on the evolution of the European merchant ships constructions from the 1st to the 16th century. A study in the history of technology with elements of economic history. Maritime transport is considered one of the most important tools creating the power of Europe. It integrated remote areas, commercial shipping recorded the largest increase in productivity among all economic fields. It was an important inspirer and creator of technical progress. Ships from Europe were the vehicles disseminating, throughout the world, European cultural patterns, methods of life organization, tools, weapons, plants, religions, political ideas, people and diseases. Bibliography available on request.
What speeds up and what hinders technical progress. On historical determinants of innovation (2019)
[in Polish] I present a list of factors considered in the literature to be important in stimulating or hindering technological progress. My focus is more on history than the present day, reflecting my area of interest: the determinants of the technological explosion in medieval and early modern Europe. I have drawn upon Joel Mokyr’s literature review from his book The Lever of Riches. Since its publication many years ago, I have updated the arguments presented there and supplemented them with critical commentary.
Oxford University Press, 1990. file size 465 KB, 40 pages.
2019, file size 465 kB, 40 pages
Medieval agricultural revolution – quantitative analysis (2020)
[in Polish] The article on how medieval Europe started to pursuit superpowers of that time (China, India, Islam states). Calculations are presented to show the roots and scale of the resources acquired thanks to the agrarian growth in IX-XIV centuries.
2015 (first version), update 2020, file size 410 KB, 17 pages
Medieval power industry – watermills and windmills (2015)
[in Polish] When discussing medieval watermills and windmills, we are referring to the creation of Europe’s first large-scale power infrastructure, unprecedented in the world at the time, to support the needs of emerging industries. The energy provided by these mills helped drive the development of industries such as textiles, clothing, woodworking, mining, metallurgy, construction, agri-food, paper, and tanning.
2015, file size 1,6 MB, 11 pages.
Western Civilization and Time – synopsis of the book (2018)
2007, 2018, 2025 file size 430 KB, 10 pages
[in English] New translation. Western civilization is challenging death—not with fanfare, but patiently, persistently, and step by step. This phenomenon is the result of a centuries-long transformation of time into one of our core values. Time as a value is reflected in the cult of speed, the cult of youth, and the growing demand for ever longer lives. Few other priorities are increasing their share of GDP at such a rapid pace. In a world so preoccupied with mundane concerns, the priorities of acting faster and living longer transcend our everyday secular horizon, seemingly without limits—except perhaps in eternity.
Church and Christianity in the making of the European identity (2013)
2010, 2013, file size 320 KB, 20 pages
[in Polish] A draft text included in the preliminary section of my book The European Phenomenon and Christianity. The discussion of the role of Christianity and the Church in the emergence of the historical European phenomenon must be preceded by an explanation of how and when Europe emerged as a distinct cultural area, as well as the role the Church—one of the primary culture-forming forces—played in this process. The text examines the stages of cultural integration and the role of the Gregorian Revolution of the 11th–12th centuries.
Medieval roots of early modern science: the influence of cultural and social milieu, role of the Church (2013)
2010, 2013, file size 420 KB, 42 pages
[in Polish] A draft text about the role of Christianity and the Church in the emergence of modern science. First, discussion of Edward Grant’s theory on medieval roots of science and description of external factors, affecting science’s setting, forming its organizational, economic, social and political milieu. Next, three subsequent parts: a brief outline of the explanatory framework for the origins of modern science, a concise presentation of the factors that influenced its development, and a more detailed description of external factors—those operating outside the sphere of science but affecting its emergence. Among the factors discussed are historical, geopolitical, social, organizational, economic, and others. This section highlights the Church’s role in each of these factors.
Rise of the West according to Douglass North (2013)
2013, file size 240KB, 12 pages
[in Polish] The article presents the theoretical foundations of New Institutional Economics and their application to the analysis of the economic history of the West. In a sense, it complements North’s text, The Paradox of the West, as it reveals the theoretical assumptions underlying this approach.
Historiography of science and religion (2011, 2020)
2010, update 2020, file size 490 KB, 32 pages
[in Polish] The text discusses the evolution of historians’ and sociologists’ views between 1874 and 2010 regarding the proper way to describe the historical relationship between science and religion. It presents the key concepts that marked milestones in this evolution: from the 19th-century works of Draper and White, which portrayed this relationship as a centuries-long conflict, to the currently prevailing descriptive paradigm that recognizes religion as a significant co-contributing factor to the emergence of modern science.
Published in Zagadnienia Filozoficzne w Nauce, No 49 / 2011 (link) and in Historia Filozofii (History of Philosophy), eds. St. Janeczek, A. Starościc, Wydawnictwo KUL, Lublin 2020 (info on book and its contents).
Death taboo: why it appeared, why is vanishing (2006)
Text presented at the conference “Philosophy and Death” (Faculty of Theology, University of Silesia, March 2007). Short version published in: “Filozofia a śmierć”, Katowice 2007
2006, file size 720 KB. 24 pages
[in Polish] The development, culmination, and gradual decline of the death taboo are linked to the unique demographic situation in the West during the 20th century and its psychological effects. At the root of the death taboo lies a specific phenomenon from the first half of the century: a dramatic increase in life expectancy for younger generations (+45%), contrasted with minimal improvement (+3%) for the elderly (who made up two-thirds of the population). Adding to this was the “scientific” pessimism regarding further life extension for the elderly, as the prevailing opinion among scientists was that the life expectancy was approaching the biological limit. This created a stark disparity: the elderly observed that the young had largely stopped dying, while they themselves had little hope for longer lives. The reaction to this deeply frustrating reality was the suppression of the subject of death from collective consciousness—death became taboo. At the same time, massive investments in the healthcare sector began. The delayed effects of these investments eventually led to significant gains in life expectancy for the elderly. As a result, the death taboo, initially a psychological defense against frustration, began to weaken.
See English abstract at the end of article.
Russia – our world’s misfortune (2014)
2014, file size 1,4 MB, 16 pages of text and 24 pages: statistics, maps, charts
[in Polish] Russia is mighty and puny. Military sector is strong but stands on weak economic foundations. The economy is natural resources monoculture. Political culture as if moved from the Middle Ages. Leaders are like a band of psychopathic robbers but have nuclear button. They invade the neighbouring countries enjoying enthusiastic support of their serfs-citizens and even political opposition. Such a country („mafia-run gas station masquerading as a country” in McCain’s words) is a misfortune of the world. But we have to deal with it somehow. At the same time it must not be thought it is the normal country. Russian leaders feel the resentment and the sense of inferiority toward the West. Like majority of the society. That results in envy, hostility, aggression and the lust for reprisal.
Historical European phenomenon or how Europe surpassed Asian powers (2009)
Shorten version published in the book “Language, mind and technology. Essays inspired by the prose of Stanisław Lem” (Język, umysł i technologia. Eseje zainspirowane prozą Stanisława Lema”) , Lodz Philosophical Library. The book contains materials from a conference organized by the Institute of Philosophy of the University of Lodz in 2009.
2009, file size 530 KB, 27 pages
[in Polish] The term European Phenomenon is widely used to describe the exceptional dynamics of European civilization during the second millennium in comparison to other great civilizations. This article offers a quantitative perspective on the phenomenon, addresses issues discussed in World History literature, and explores controversies surrounding various theoretical propositions, including the historical roots of Europe’s high rate of innovation. The article includes historical economic growth and population data to illustrate the scale of the phenomenon. It then delves into several key areas of theoretical discussion. While any such selection is inherently subjective, it is undeniable that modern science, technology, and the capitalist economic system played a significant role in shaping the modern West. The fourth crucial element, Christianity, served as the all-encompassing cultural framework within which these processes unfolded. These four elements are discussed in greater detail in the article.
file size 530 KB, 27 pages, in Polish.
English abstract at the end of the paper.
The emergence of a Western guilt culture, 13th–18th centuries. Reflections on the book by Jean Delumeau (2008)
2008, file size 130 KB, 7 pages
[in Polish] Christianity from the 13th to the 18th century intensely instilled in the faithful a sense of infinite guilt and sin. But was it effective? Did it manage to frighten everyone, or only the elites? The classic work of French historian Jean Delumeau is part of the debate on the roots of our civilization and has been the subject of heated discussion for over twenty years. I present a summary of this debate along with some of my own reflections. (A comprehensive 21-page summary of the book is available on the Recenzje (Reviews) page.)
Douglass C. North, Paradox of the West – Polish translantion (2013)
2013 (translation), file size 300 KB, 24 pages
[English original and Polish translation]. The central thesis of this chapter is that economic growth and the development of freedom are complementary processes in societal development. Economic growth provides the resources necessary to support more complex societies, and it is unlikely to persist in the long run without the concurrent development of political and civil liberties. A world characterized by specialization and the division of labor—the foundations of economic growth—naturally fosters democratic and individual freedoms. This idea is explored in a well-known text by D.C. North, a Nobel laureate in economics, which examines the causes of Europe’s historical economic success and the relationship between economic growth and freedom. It also addresses the historical failures of China and Islam. North, one of the leading figures in the field of new institutional economics, applies his insights in The Paradox of the West, a work where theory is not explicitly outlined but rather integrated into the analysis of a specific historical case. What particularly interests me in North’s work is his theoretical justification for the cultural determinants of economic growth, a topic that occupies a significant portion of The Paradox of the West.
Modern West and our mythical time perception (2012)
2006, update 2012, file size 170 KB, 6 pages
[in Polish] The Western experience of the world is deeply influenced by myths, one of the most significant being the mythical perception of time. This includes the belief that humanity has always desired a longer life. Modern individuals are convinced that this desire has always been a part of human nature. Today, it stands at the top of our priority list, consuming a tremendous amount of resources. However, this desire, now so deeply ingrained, was until recently far down in the hierarchy of human aspirations.
Over the last few decades, this wish has transformed into a myth. As a myth, it is perceived as eternal, self-evident, and almost indisputable—questioning it risks intellectual banishment. This mythical perception wields immense yet invisible power, shaping our priorities and legitimizing the desire for a longer life. It not only justifies the vast allocation of resources to activities aimed at life extension but also obscures the historical reality: the belief in an eternal longing for longevity is, in fact, an illusion. And yet, we fail to recognize the myth that governs us, trusting it implicitly while it quietly shapes the modern world.
Can theory of civilization be a science in Lakatos sense? (2007)
The Applicability of Imre Lakatos’ methodology in humanities. Lecture given to Polish Philosophical Society, Szczecin, December 2007
2007, update 2010, file size 280 KB, 10 pages
[in Polish] The paper explores whether certain branches of the humanities can meet the criteria of scientific knowledge as defined by Imre Lakatos in his methodology of scientific research programmes—one of the most influential theories of science. Using Lakatos’ methodological tools, the author analyzes his own book, Cywilizacja zachodnia i Czas (Western Civilization and Time), to evaluate its scientific validity.
The analysis focuses on identifying the hard core of the theory, the protective belt of auxiliary hypotheses, negative and positive heuristics, and problem shifts, demonstrating how these elements contribute to the progressive nature of the research programme. This approach highlights the potential for applying Lakatos’ methodology to develop and assess theories within certain domains of the humanities.
See the English abstract at the end of the article.
Islam and Russia: lost civilizations? (2006)
2006, file size 175 KB, 12 pages
[in Polish]. A text written in 2006, now in need of an update. The Islam that is losing the modernization race has attacked Europe with a wave of Muslim immigrants and their demands, which are fundamentally incompatible with our civilizational foundations. Meanwhile, we have become so steeped in cultural relativism that we are unable to firmly say NO! For now, the issue of Islam, which is simultaneously losing and attacking, has only been briefly addressed in a small update. But more will need to be written.
The text itself focuses on how two great historical processes—secularization and the modernization of the West—transformed time into one of the supreme values for the contemporary Western individual. To a large extent, it was this transformation and the unique temporal alignment of these two processes that enabled the West to achieve an unprecedented level of material development. Islam and Russia—two other civilizations founded on theocentric religions—also experienced these processes, but their timing and progression were markedly different. As a result, they exhibit significantly lower levels of modernization and cultural traits that hinder catching up with the West.
History of technology: first readings recommended (2014)
2014, file size 126 KB, 6 pages
[in Polish] A short text on what is worth reading before engaging in a discussion about the factors determining technological development. Theoretical considerations on this topic should at least be grounded in a basic familiarity with factual information. I present twelve books worth exploring. Most of them are recommended readings in university programs on the history of technology. Among the authors are Frances and Joseph Gies, James MacLachlan, Ian McNeil, Lewis Mumford, Bryan Bunch and Alexander Hellemans, Daniel Headrick, James McClellan, and Harold Dorn.
Christianity and modernization of the West (2008)
2007, update 2008, 2010, 2021, file size 330 KB, 6 pages
[in Polish] Christianity could be perceived as the modernization-oriented axiology which inculturation took place in the medieval Europe which turned out to be hospitable ecological and cultural milieu.How Christianity fostered the historical process of modernization of the West.
A text written in 2008 as a preview of the final chapter of the book Western Civilization and Time. It explores how Christianity contributed to the historical process of modernization in the West. That chapter eventually grew into a major research project. I am now writing a separate book on this topic. Its main theses and completed sections can be found on the Christianitas subpage. However, the original text is interesting enough that I am now (in 2021) using it as part of my work on a draft about the evolution of Western civilization
Philosophy and Theology
Prayer in the Bergamuts Islands (2015)
2015, file size 90 kB, 3 pages
- pdf version (enter the password to see the text; clue: C46s32)
The Bergamuty Islands were imagined by the Polish poet Jan Brzechwa in a children’s poem. Some years ago, my granddaughter and I were walking to get bread, and she kept singing this poem over and over again. I joined her. Suddenly, the poem transformed into a prayer. And that’s how the title came to be: Prayer in the Bergamuty Islands.
“Do not bring us into temptation” or “Dissuade us from temptation”. 2000 years of controversies over this phrase in Lord’s Prayer (2017)
2005, updates: 2015, 2016, 2017, file size 390 KB. 21 pages
text published in Polish Catholic website Opoka (Rock of Faith) link
[in Polish] Pope Francis proposes moving away from the traditional phrase in the Lord’s Prayer, „Lead us not into temptation,” and replacing it with the wording introduced into the liturgy by the French Bishops’ Conference: „Do not let us fall into temptation.” This is a perfectly reasonable suggestion. It essentially echoes the version formulated in 1965 in the Polish Millennium Bible and the proposal from the 1960s by Jean Carmignac (1914–1986).
The phrase „Lead us not into temptation” has been a significant theological challenge, one that the ancient Church Fathers wrestled with and that has been the subject of thousands of texts over more than a thousand years. The translators of the Polish Millennium Bible in 1965 modified it to „and do not allow us to fall into temptation,” making it a precursor to modern biblical exegesis. It is therefore worth reflecting on the peculiar history of this phrase.
Life after death. Christian perspective (2019)
2019, file size 360 KB. 20 pages
[in Polish]. Sixty to ninety-seven percent of Europeans identify as Christians. Nearly 70% believe in some form of afterlife. How can we describe a Christian vision of the afterlife, where people go after death, in a way that aligns with doctrine, mystics’ insights, and NDE (near-death experience) visions? The vision of the afterlife presented here is closely tied to the fundamental truth of faith in God’s infinite love. Other reflections on this subject have often struggled to harmoniously reconcile God’s infinite love and mercy with the suffering of souls condemned forever to hell. How can this be reconciled?
The original version was published in 2014. After many discussions and presentations of this text in various forums, I introduced dozens of changes that slightly reduced its length, better explained my position, and addressed at least some of the doubts raised by readers.
Why I like to attend a mass for preschoolers? (2016)
2006 (update 2016), file size 110 kB. 1 page
[in Polish]. Because it is attended by authentic, curious, and thoughtful people. People who seek and are not afraid to make mistakes
Necessity of evil. Proof by contradiction. (Supplement to Alvin Plantinga, 2009)
2009, update 2015, file size 110 KB. 3 pages. The paper published in Polish
[in English] The Christian tradition views evil as an inevitable byproduct of our possession of free will. However, some scholars argue that, contrary to tradition, there is no contradiction in the existence of free beings who always do good. So far, attempts to prove them wrong have not been successful. My proof, which supports the traditional view, is a proof by contradiction that resolves the issue. I begin by assuming that a world of free beings who always do good could exist and then demonstrate that this thesis is internally inconsistent. Therefore, according to the principles of proof by contradiction, it follows that evil is inevitable if free will exists. This text also complements and supports Alvin Plantinga’s reasoning.
A Polish version of the text was published in an international Festschrift collection honoring my friend, the eminent philosopher Ryszard Kleszcz, on his 70th birthday. The text, which I wrote several years ago, was included in this jubilee volume dedicated to him.
God’s Love. Information for atheists, agnostics and lukewarm believers (2017)
2013, update 2017, 2020, file size 187 KB, 6 pages
[in Polish] The article attempts an unemotional definition of the concept of God’s love. The definition aims to align with Catholic doctrine while also referencing components that are neutral in terms of worldview. The goal is for everyone, including non-believers, to understand what a believer means when saying, “God loves us” or “God is love.” The chosen method of describing the concept of “God’s love” is through analogy. The analogy used is a mother’s love, defined as a list of what I lost with her passing.
Love, Chance, or Mystery? Theology of Divine Providence / The Logic of Divine Providence (2019)
2019, file size 300 KB, 7 pages, text published in Tygiel Kultury (Culture Melting Pot, monthly), No, 10-12, 2009 and in Catholic website Katolik Katolik.pl
[in Polish] Why does Divine Providence, which actively influences the world with love, tolerate evil? The classical theodicy addresses why an almighty and benevolent God permits evil, offering a theological defense of God against the apparent inconsistency between evil and the existence of an omnipotent and omnibenevolent deity. However, my approach introduces an additional element to the discussion: Divine Providence. According to Catholic doctrine, Providence, guided by love, continually intervenes in the world and human affairs.
Thanks to Alvin Plantinga, much of the debate over reconciling belief in a good and omnipotent God with the existence of evil has been resolved, demonstrating that such belief is logically coherent. Yet, this is not the whole story. Divine Providence’s actions, while grounded in love, are often incomprehensible and even troubling from a human perspective. For instance, Kowalski prays and is miraculously healed in Lourdes, while God does not intervene to prevent the Holocaust. From the individual’s standpoint, Providence can appear arbitrary or even unjust.
Thus, the challenge is not only to reconcile God’s justice and holiness with the presence of evil but also to make sense of the seemingly “strange” logic of Providence’s interventions. It is not enough to dismiss these as mere mysteries; we must engage with them more deeply. This is precisely the focus of my text.
English abstract at the end of the paper.
What is evil? Why do we do it? (2015)
2015, file size 240 KB, 4 pages
[in Polish] Discussing Evil (see my other texts on this topic), my listeners invariably ask me the fundamental question: what is evil, and why does it exist? This text is intended as a guide for our discussions. It is not an encyclopedic overview but my personal response to this question. I hope it will be helpful not only in conversations but also in understanding the world around us.
The psychologically comprehensible model of the Universe and its consequences (2017)
2017, file size 210 KB, 7 pages
At the end of the text, there is a link to the animated interactive model
[in Polish] The size and duration of the Universe span billions of years and trillions of kilometers. To comprehend these numbers, a model of the Universe is needed—one scaled to be psychologically graspable, allowing us to relate its dimensions and time span to something familiar. Such a model helps us understand the proportions between the size of the Universe and our Earth, as well as between the lifespan of the Universe and the duration of our species and civilization. This model also aids in drawing analogies to comprehend the cultural upheaval caused by the Scientific Revolution (15th–17th century) and presents a challenge to Christian theology.
Meaning of life: balance between values or the goal of existence? (2008)
2009, file size 370 KB, 9 pages
Shorten version published in Tygiel Kultury monthly (Culture melting Pot), No. 10-12. 2009
[in Polish]. Most of us do not think about the meaning of life. This is a sign of mental health, as the meaning of life lies in the balance between the many values we pursue in our daily lives. It is only when a crucial value disappears from our lives, or we lose it, that we begin to reflect on the whole question. However, centuries-old tradition understands the meaning of life quite differently—as the ultimate purpose of human existence. These two approaches can conflict with each other. The first—balance between values—is morally neutral, while the second, rooted in tradition, is often shaped by moralists who see it as one of the fundamental issues of human life. Yet, in everyday life, most people are not interested in this question at all. Does that make most of us foolish?
What is postmodernism (2011)
Author: Elisabeth Anderson. Translation: Jacek Kwaśniewski
2011, file size 180 KB, 4 pages
[in Polish] Among the many texts on postmodernism, this one stands out for its exceptional clarity and conciseness. My translation avoids the unfortunate habit of rendering postmodernist neologisms literally. Such literal translations have contributed, to some extent, to the negative reputation of postmodernist texts as incomprehensible and nonsensical. Translation of excerpts from the chapter ‘Feminist Postmodernism, in: Elisabeth Anderson, Feminist Epistemology and Philosophy of Science, in: Stanford Encyclipedia of Philosophy. http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/feminism-epistemology file size 180 KB, 4 pages
Other
Milton and Rose Friedman, Free to Choose ((2020)
[in Polish] I translated Milton and Rose Friedman’s famous book Free to Choose in the 1980s. The first Polish edition was published by underground publishers during martial law in Poland, imposed by the communist regime. Since then, the book has gone through seven Polish editions, with the latest published in 2020.
Free to Choose, written with flair for a mass audience, is often regarded as a kind of Bible of neoliberal economics. It has been translated into dozens of languages, sold millions of copies, and even inspired a television series.
How the Universe came into being
[in Polish] Observing the fauna of the Great Barrier Reef, I admire the Creator’s sense of humor. Setting the parameters of evolution to create a leafy seadragon is a joke for the ages.
Harmonious society versus conflict-ridden society: marxism and liberalism (1988)
[in English] Co-author: Jerzy Drygalski. A chapter from the book A Critique of Marxist and Non-Marxist Thought, Praeger Special Studies, 1988. The authors aimed to compare two doctrines—liberalism and Marxism—by examining their practical implementations in the real world and uncovering the deep connections between these ideas and their corresponding political systems.
file size 2,3 MB, 23 pages
the text contains the main ideas from the book “(Un)Real Socialism”. See this page (Un)Real Socialism
How to build successful capitalism in Third World countries (2003)
2003, file size 170 kB, 6 pages
[in English] A discussion of Hernando de Soto’s concepts for the Iraqi government (2003). According to de Soto, vast assets—such as real estate, machinery, and businesses—are held by the poor in Third World countries but remain formally outside the legal system. These assets function but cannot serve as collateral for loans to finance further development, cannot be officially connected to utilities, and are vulnerable to confiscation and reliance on organized crime. Such risks force these businesses to remain small, drastically slowing their growth and development. De Soto refers to this as “dead capital.”
Bringing this “dead capital” into the legal system is a recipe for unlocking the dynamic growth potential of the Third World’s resources. Peruvian economist Hernando de Soto has detailed how to achieve this transformation in his work. His Institute for Liberty and Democracy has been assisting developing countries with implementing such reforms for nearly 30 years.
While working in the Coalition Provisional Authority in Iraq (2003–2004), I sought to involve de Soto in efforts to rebuild the Iraqi economy. Although he was willing to assist, U.S. Undersecretary of Defense Paul D. Wolfowitz opposed the idea.
No-choice elections (1990)
Jacek Kwaśniewski, Jerzy Drygalski
[in English] A detailed analysis of the electoral system in communist Poland during the period 1950–1979. This is the English version of a chapter from my and Jerzy Drygalski’s book (Un)Real Socialism. The phrase ‘no-choice elections’ was coined by me and has been cited many times in the literature
The article from Studies, April 1990, file size 2,5 MB, 21 pages
Early days of Polish privatization 1989-1991 Krzysztof Lis vs Balcerowicz (2014)
2014, file size 260 KB, 10 pages
[in Polish] These are my personal reminiscences as a witness and participant in the Polish privatization process, working in government roles. The architect of Polish privatization and the capital market was Krzysztof Lis. Appointed by Tadeusz Mazowiecki, Poland’s first post-communist Prime Minister, as the government’s plenipotentiary for privatization, Lis was tasked with preparing privatization laws, developing the legal framework for the capital market, and overseeing the initial privatization of enterprises, including the first public offerings.
Lis was a consummate professional who took a meticulous approach to privatization. From the outset, he opposed Deputy Prime Minister Leszek Balcerowicz, who was responsible for the market reorientation of Poland’s economy. Balcerowicz, driven by political considerations, advocated for rapid privatization through free voucher distribution, often overlooking the associated risks. This clash of perspectives was inevitable. Seemingly, Lis lost the battle when Balcerowicz blocked his appointment as Minister of Privatization, favoring someone aligned with his own views.
However, the outcomes proved otherwise. Balcerowicz’s fast-track privatization strategy, later supported by Janusz Lewandowski’s universal privatization program, resulted in what many regard as the most expensive failure of the post communist Poland. In contrast, Lis’s methodology, rooted in proven models and a professional approach, was successfully applied for several years and laid the foundation for the creation of Poland’s capital market, including the stock exchange.
This chapter reflects on these early days of privatization, highlighting the tension between political expediency and professional rigor, and the lasting impact of these divergent strategies on Poland’s economic transformation.
Solidarity and the Communist Party. Dynamics of Polish Conflict 1980 – 1981 (2012)
Jacek Kwaśniewski, Jerzy Drygalski
Seminar paper for Collegium Civitas
2012, file size 335 kB, 17 pages
[in Polish] In the late 1980s, my friend Jerzy Drygalski and I began writing a book on the dynamics of social and political conflict in Poland during 1980–1981. This period saw a wave of strikes in July and August 1980 that forced the communist regime to allow the formation of independent trade unions under Lech Wałęsa’s leadership. A year later, the communist regime crushed Solidarity by imposing martial law.
The book was to be based on our theory that suppressing free articulation was essential for the survival of communist rule. Solidarity, as a free trade union, represented a profound challenge to this system by acting as a channel for articulation that had been systematically blocked under communism. This unblocking of free expression undermined the regime, leading to the progressive erosion of real socialism.
The book remained unfinished, as the collapse of communism in 1989 brought new priorities for both Drygalski and me. We became actively involved in shaping Poland’s new reality. I worked on creating the Ministry of Privatization and preparing a privatization program, while Drygalski was appointed to dismantle RUCH, the communist organization that controlled the Polish press—a task for which he was well-prepared, as part of our joint PhD thesis had analyzed the suppression of free articulation in the press under communist rule.
Thirty years later, we were invited to deliver a lecture on our unfinished book. This text is based on that seminar paper and focuses on the logic of how unblocking free articulation through Solidarity in 1980-1981 contributed to the collapse of the communist regime. The paper was prepared for a seminar at Collegium Civitas, one of Warsaw’s universities.
Reading scientific texts could be criminal offense (2012)
[in English and in Polish] Science and the speculative publishing business. On one side are scientists and those seeking education; on the other, large academic publishers maximizing profits by minimizing costs, raising prices, and targeting wealthy institutional buyers. Two texts explore this phenomenon.
The essence of the poetry (1998)
[in Polish]. A meeting with friends who write poetry once encouraged me to give it a try myself. That’s how this somewhat satirical—but only slightly—piece came to be.… The poem titled “The Essence of Poetry” was published in the cultural monthly Tygiel Kultury (Culture Melting Pot), issues 1–3 / 2010. Since the magazine is no longer in circulation, I have moved the poem to my server.
The autumn, guinea pig and other things. The poem for Maia (2018)
[in Polish] A little poem about autumn, written for my granddaughter Maja and posted here at her request. Maja owns the poem and can change its content as she pleases. Every recitation in her performance is therefore valid.
Poglądy, Issue 18. Jubilee Issue 2011
2011
[in Polish] In 1980-81 (during the explosion of Solidarity movement in communist Poland) me and my friends were publishing the three-weekly Solidarity magazine titled Poglądy (Views). During martial law, introduced by communists to destroy Polish island of freedom, some of us were imprisoned (including me), some emigrated. After 30 years we have decided to publish another issue of this magazine. Editorial team members were scattered around the globe since then but Internet is invaluable. Read and see how our views, previously nearly homogenous, have diverged since then.