B O O K R E V I E W S / R E C E N Z J E
S t a n i s l a w Z I E M I A N S K I S J , Teologia naturalna. Filozoficzna proble-matyka Boga [ N a t u r a l Theology. T h e Philosophical A p p r o a c h to God], K r a k o w 1995, J e s u i t F a c u l t y of Philosophy, A 5 , 400 pages. S u m m a r y , p. 371-373.
A s the t i t l e suggests, the treatise concerns the philosophical ap-proach to the question of God. It is a sort of theology, the doctrine on God, proceeding f r o m visible world, interpretated w i t h the power of n a t u r a l reason. The m a i n ground for the interpretative reasoning is the classical methaphysics. God is conceived as the last a n d most profound f u n d a m e n t of a l l t h i n g s that have not sufficient ground of existence i n themselves.
In part one, the metaphysica] commmitments of philosophy of G o d have been presented. The metaphysics used as a fimdament of the analysis takes as a point of issue not exactly the everyday experience, but rather the scientific approach. F o r author i t seems to be safer to take, as a base of the arguments, the scientifically proved facts t h a n the statements of common opinions. T h e scientific facts should be interpreted philosophically as a part of r e a l i t y , i.e. as beings.
The second part of the book contains the arguments for the existence of G o d . T h e sequence of the arguments differs f r o m the t r a d i t i o n a l one k n o w n as the five w a y s of St. Thomas. D i f f e r e n t also is the interpreta-tion of the classical arguments.
I n the first place stands the argument f r o m the r a d i c a l i.e. existen-t i a l conexisten-tingency, conceived as existen-the one-many r e l a existen-t i o n beexisten-tween existen-the es-sence a n d existence. S u c h a r e l a t i o n is being r u l e d by the A q u i n a s priciple s t a t i n g t h a t the elements j o i n e d together w i t h o u t a g r o u n d i n g i n t h e i r o w n n a t u r e call for a cause f r o m outside. E x c l u d i n g the i n f i n i t e regress i n the series of causes a case against the p r i n c i p l e of s u f f i -cient reason - we m u s t a d m i t the existence of the first and absolute Cause of everything contingent.
A s next, the author presents the argument r e f e r r i n g to the f o u r t h w a y of St. Thomas, t h a t of m u l t i p l e perfections e x i s t i n g i n various subjects. T h e i r d i f f u s i o n and graduation suggests t h a t they originate f r o m the common supreme Cause.
I n the t h i r d place stands the argument f r o m the evolution or s t r i c t l y speaking, devolution of the universe. T h e essential point i n t h i s
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m e n t i s the fact of d e g r a d a t i o n i.e. chaotization of free energy. A s the u n d e g r a d a t e d i.e. w e l l ordered, energy s t i l l exists, its present status m u s t o r i g i n a t e from the i m m a t e r i a l Cause, w h i c h i n the past intro-d u c e intro-d the orintro-der i n the w o r l intro-d . Because the first a n intro-d seconintro-d w a y of St. T h o m a s do not seem to d i f f e r essentially, the second w a y has been o m i t t e d .
T h e l a s t cosmological a r g u m e n t , corresponding to the fifth w a y of St. T h o m a s , is the a r g u m e n t f r o m finality. F i n a l i t y , according to Z i e m i a n -s k i , mean-s „ t h e c o n -s p i r i n g of a l l p a r t -s of a -sy-stem to a common func-t i o n " . T h e a r g u m e n func-t proceeds from func-the facfunc-t of fine func-t u n i n g of func-the parfunc-ts of l i v i n g creatures. I n the d i s c u s s i o n w i t h the evolutionists, he i s con-v i n c e d t h a t the e con-v o l u t i o n a r y h3rpothesis has been i n s u f f i c i e n t l y procon-ved. W h a t i s more, i t has againts i t s e l f m a n y d i f f i c u l t i e s , w i t h w h i c h the e v o l u t i o n i s t s do not cope. T h e extremely complicated structures of l i v i n g o r g a n i s m s suggest t h a t t h e y result f r o m a design realised b y the s u p r e m e transcendent M i n d .
T h e n e x t group of a r g u m e n t s described by Z i e m i a n s k i are the an-t h r o p o l o g i c a l argumenan-ts. T h e y proceed f r o m an-the psychological or socio-l o g i c a socio-l facts.
T h e a r g u m e n t concerning men's desire of happiness looks f o r a n object of the tendency of m e n to the u n l i m i t e d v e r i t y a n d good, not to be s a t i s f i e d w i t h i n t h i s w o r l d . T a k i n g into account t h i s disproportion, one is convinced t h a t there m u s t exist elsewhere the supreme Good able to s a t i s f y a l l desires of m e n .
T h e l a s t p a r t of the book concerns the n a t u r e of G o d . Z i e m i a n s k i argues t h a t the most convenient d e f i n i t i o n of G o d seeems to be the statement: Seifexistent B e i n g . T h e book ends w i t h comments on the r e l a t i o n of the n a t u r a l theology to the s u p e r n a t u r a l one, and w i t h the s t a t e m e n t of how c o m p l e m e n t a r y God's image is i n both disciplines.
R o m a n D A R O W S K I S J , Filozofia w szkotack jezuickich w Polsce w XVI wieku [ L a philosophie dans les colleges des jesuites en Pologne a u X V I ^ siecle], C r a c o v i e 1994, F a c u l t e de Philosophie de l a Compagnie de J e s u s , B 5 , 450 pages.
L e l i v r e t r a i t e de l a philosophie enseignee a u X V I ^ siecle dans les colleges des jesuites en Pologne et en L i t u a n i e (qui constituaient alors u n s e u l R o y a u m e ) , c ' e s t - a - d i r e de l a philosophie strictement „scolasti-que" et de l a philosophie h6e directement ä I'enseignement, done de l a nhilosonhie an sens strict du mot.
