(b. 1998) – a poet, editor and literary critic. Kopeć’s debut volume of poetry, ‘przyjmę/oddam/wymienię:’ (I take/I give/I exchange:, 2021), as Jakub Skurtys wrote,…
View profile(1927–2009) – a philosopher, political activist and literary author; an essayist, journalist and prose writer, a professor tied to the University of Warsaw and Oxford, a true member of the Polish Academy of Sciences, a member of All Saints College in Oxford.
The main subject of Leszek Kołakowski’s interest was the history of philosophy, particularly from the eighteenth century onward, including the doctrine of liberalism, as well as the philosophy of culture and religion. His work often addressed questions of the meaning of life, suffering, death and morality, the fundamental values and dilemmas with which people contend.
For many years, Kołakowski’s books were illegally published in Poland, playing a vital role in shaping the intelligentsia of the Polish opposition; an especially important essay was ‘Kapłan i błazen’ (‘Priest and Fool’), analysing the intelligentsia’s approach to the rulers. Kołakowski’s first text was confiscated by the censors, which meant the first that began to circulate underground was a manifesto, ‘Czym jest socjalizm’ (‘What Is Socialism’, in 1956 for Po Prostu). In his three-volume work ‘Główne nurty marksizmu. Powstanie, rozwój, rozkład’ (Main currents of Marxism. The founders, the golden age, the breakdown) he described the development of this doctrine, tearing down many myths and half-truths on the subject that had been circulating behind the Iron Curtain, and showing how various ideologies affect society.
Apart from his purely philosophical texts, Kołakowski also wrote literature that addressed philosophical subjects, including ‘13 bajek z królestwa Lailonii’ (Thirteen Fairy-Tales from the Kingdom of Lailonia) and ‘Rozmowy z diabłem’ (Conversations with the Devil). In these parables and stories, Kołakowski used an accessible and appealing form to analyse philosophical issues and paradoxes or outline discussions between various schools and doctrines. These pieces are stamped with an intelligent, mocking humour and a nimble use of literary conventions and styles, especially in the biblical tales. At his life’s end, his main subject of philosophical inquiry was the history of philosophy, mainly from the eighteenth century on, including the doctrine of liberalism, as well as the philosophy of culture and religion. Kołakowski’s work is diverse, and his writing – admired around the world – has lost none of its relevance.
He also published his thoughts in the press, contributing to such periodicals as Paris’s Kultura, London’s Puls, Krytyka (published uncensored in Poland), Arka (in 1987–92 he sat on the magazine’s board of patrons). In 1996, he recorded thirty mini-lectures for Polish Television on important issues in the philosophy of culture (including power, tolerance, betrayal, equality, fame, and deceit), later published in book form as ‘Mini-wykłady o maxi-sprawach’ (Mini-Lectures on Maxi-Topics). In 2004, he began doing philosophical lectures for a series called ‘O co nas pytają wielcy filozofowie?’ (What Do the Great Philosophers Ask Us?).
For his outstanding achievements and popularisation of knowledge and promotion of Poland in the world, Leszek Kołakowski was honoured with: the Peace Prize of the German Book Trade (1977), a MacArthur Fellowship (1983), the Commander’s Cross with Star of the Order of Polonia Restituta (1992), the Polish Jan Parandowski PEN Club Award (1992), Order of the White Eagle (1997), John Kluge Award of the United States Library of Congress (2003), Saint George Medal (2006) and Jerusalem Award (2007). He received honorary Doctorates from universities in Szczeciń, Gdańsk, Łódź and Wrocław, and the Central European University.
Leszek Kołakowski archive and library have been donated to the National Library.
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