Etyka sokratyczna a etyka Pawła z Tarsu (różnice i podobieństwa)

Abstract

The structure of the present article is as follows: 1. Presentation of the views of some scholars, and especially the views of a Polish classicist, Tadeusz Zieliński (1859‒1944), concerning a possible influence of the ancient pagan thought on the formation of the Christian doctrine. 2. Discussion of the Socratic ethic on the basis of Plato’s dialogues. 3. Discussion of the Christian ethic on the basis of Corpus Paulinum. 4. Demonstration of the differences and similarities between the Socratic ethic and the Christian ethic. 5. Conclüsions: It is impossible to accept the view that through the person of St. Paul, a citizen of the hellenized city of Tarsus, the Socratic ethic could significantly influence the formation of the foundations of the Christian ethic. The factors which contradict such a hypothesis are: the place of God in the Christian ethic; the high role of love; directiong man’s inquiries and activities towards another Person. Socrates, however, might have had an indirect impact on recognizing the important, although not the most important or exclusive, function of reason in the ethical life. Thanks to that Christianity has defended itself against accepting stiff Judaistic formalism.