Ku filozofii przyjaźni. W dialogu z Platonem, Arystotelesem i św. Teresą od Jezusa

Abstract

The topic of the article is friendship, in Greek philia; one of the most spiritual forms of human love. In contemporary culture, marked with utilitarianism and hedonism, friendship is hardly appreciated on a wider social scale. This is true nowadays even in the elite circles of learned philosophers – in contrast, for instance, to the ancient Greek philosophers who wrote long and wise treatises about friendship. Today, the sensual forms of love tend to be highlighted (eros), while friendship remains isolated and forsaken. The present study aims therefore to liberate friendship from the darkness of oblivion and from false assumptions. In this immense undertaking we are not alone. The Great Tradition comes to our aid with its outstanding representatives: in our case, with Plato, Aristotle, and St Teresa of Jesus. Contrary to what our fi rst impression might be, they are not distant from one another in the spiritual sense. What they have in common is a thorough knowledge of the subject, personal experience and, most of all, friendship with wisdom: philo-sophy. The entire text is divided into four chapters, two of which are published in the present issue of Itinera Spiritualia. In Chapter One, historical in its character, all participants of the debate on friendship voice their opinion: firstly, we raise the issue of the condition of friendship in the contemporary culture; secondly, Plato and Aristotle shed light on this issue from the point of view of ancient Greek philosophy in general, and their own philosophies in particular; fi nally, St Teresa, creating a link between our times and the ancients, provides original and signifi cant input into how we understand friendship. She does this thanks to her wide experience (interestingly enough, an experience gained in the age of the Renaissance, which could not, philosophically speaking, define the identity of friendship). In Chapter Two, of metaphysical character, only two participants in the friendship debate are included: on the one side, Plato, who presents his “idea” of friendship, and on the other side, St Teresa, with her understanding of friendship as a “gift”. They reveal to us the “long path” which took them from many imperfect friendships to the meeting with the First True Friend. Plato the Philosopher employs a strictly speculative method, but he does not lack mystical experience; Teresa the Mystic, on the other hand, shares her personal friendship stories, but not without a substantial and rational metaphysical basis. They both meet in the One, the Good. Their testimony has an immense value for our contemporary culture. In Chapter Three and Four, which will be published in next year’s issue of Itinera Spiritualia, I deal with ethics and with the language of friendship.