Wydział Teologiczny Akademii Krakowskiej w przededniu reformy kołłątajowskiej

Abstract

At the Cracovian Academy containing four faculties: theological, juridical, philosophical and medical, till 1780s the most important were the faculties of theology and law. Philosophy was an introduction to the other faculties. Unfortunately, in the school there was an obsolete system of teaching as well as a stagnation in almost all spheres of knowledge. The Bishops of Cracow, as the Great Chancellors of the Cracovian Academy, tried to change this situation. Thanks to the initiative of A. S. Załuski, in 1748, at the Faculty of Law, arose the Chair of the Law of Nature and Nations. After the death of the bishop permanent lectures on the Polish Law were introduced. His successor, Kajetan Soltyk, caused the reform of the Philosophical Faculty in the modem spirit. As a result of the dispute among academicians on the reform of the studies in 1865 the traditional scholastic method was given up in favour of the philosophy of modern authors (R. Descartes, P. Gassend, G. W. Leibnitz, Ch. Wolff). In 1778 the four new chairs were founded. Some efforts were also undertaken to re-establish the organisational-didactic activity both in the Academy and in the so called academically colonies liable to it. To obtain the constitutional superiority of the Academy over its colonies the delegates were sent to Warsaw for the convocation and coronation session of Parliament. Definitely, the reform of the Cracovian Academy, on the order of the Commission of the National Education, was accomplished by H. Kołłątaj in 1780-1783.