The reviewers of the I Communicate, Therefore I AM are:

 

Jacek Kurzępa, prof. of University of Social Sciences and Humanities in Wrocław,

Leon Szot, prof. of Cardinal Stefan Wyszyński University in Warsaw.

 

From L. Szot's review:

 

«The author accompanies the reader with his scientific reflection on humanities and social sciences in the reader's discovery of the truth about themselves and with the use of themselves. When reading, you can sense the author's presence, thus the dissertation does not only have a scientific character; one can say that in a sense it is a synthetic guidebook in the world of anthropology, ethics, communication and mass-media. The author, just like Karol Wojtyła who is often quoted throughout the work, starts with what is "irreducible in man", what is original, what is the meeting platform with man regardless man's world-view, religious beliefs or political convictions. This is a great advantage of the dissertation in today's world which is exceptionally diversified, yet still a "global village". What is irreducible in man is man’s experience, the inwards insight into their own "I". The thought and then expression through the word, image and act lie at the basis of this insight and then the outlook on the world around. The thought, word and image are the fundamental words - the keys to this monograph. On the basis of these words the author has constructed the three chapters of the publication. These are: I: "I Think therefore I am"; I: "I See, therefore I am"; III: "I Communicate, therefore I Am" IV: I Participate, therefore I Am" It is obvious that the inspiration of such title formulation has been René Descartes.

The author refers to the representatives of philosophy who have indicated man as a special subject in the world, as somebody exceptional, the crowning element of all creation. In addition to Descartes, we shall also find the names of Boethius, Socrates, Platon, Saint Augustine, Saint Thomas Aquinas, George Hegel, Teilhard de Chardin, Charles Darwin and others. The list of names is completed with the two people for whom the phenomenon of a human person is fundamental. These are Karol Wojtyła and Czesław Stanisław Bartnik. The first of the two is the Thomist inspired by Reginald Garrigou-Lagrange, Étienne Gilson and in Poland by Stefan Świeżawski and Mieczysław Albert Krąpiec; then the phenomenologist who analyses the thought of Max Scheler and who finally is the spiritual heir of Saint John of the Cross. Wojtyła is the annalist of human's inside, the creator of one of most interesting and original concepts of man; as the dissertation author writes, he wants to construct mass-media anthropology upon Wojtyła's concept. [...].

It must be stated that the monograph is an original scientific panorama which reaches back to Homo sapiens and which finishes with the present-day Homo Internetus. It offers the new outlook on interpersonal communication and communication with the use of modern technologies - the so called new media. The personal structure of self-determination the author writes at length in his publication is its foundation. The structure decides that communication is not only the information transfer through the message, but something more. This is man's experience which allows them to realise in ontological and axiological sense, as an individual and at the same time as a part of the community they are a part of. This is the experience which makes it possible to realise with respect to Personal God too. This person no longer deserves the name of Homo sapiens or Homo videns, but Homo communicans or Persona communicans. To finish the dissertation the author call the communication Poiema Communication».

 

From J. Kurzepa's appraisal:

 

«Author is a true erudite and extensive expertise in literary works from different fields of study; coupled for the use of the dissertation topic, these fit just like "the key and the lock"; this demonstrates a great advantage of consistency and logicality of the argumentative narration. [...] The author analyses individual level of man's presence and ways to communicate with the world, both internal, themselves as well with transcendence. He starts with the rudimentary Cartesian question: "I Think therefore I am"(1st chapter title). The chapter contains further analytical steps of the human thought's formation process and thus man's development. And in the following chapter: "I See therefore I am", based on Marshal McLuhan's and Giovanni Sartori's concepts (properly selected, invigorating, intellectually prolific and fresh) is the analyses of our human development in the face of the image we send and receive. This dilemma is set against a broader context of post-postmodernist networked and mediatised society; the Author invites to reflect upon axiological-transcendental aspects of the image's impact on man's awareness as well as as well as on its usable-praxeological contests. The Author uses and informed consent of leading us, the readers upon "consecutive levels" as if playing with us an intellectual computer game; he does this deliberately playing with the form and at the same time indicates the seductive mechanisms media use for the present day man. The Author does it with an intelectual charm and ease. And in the following, 3rd chapter: "I Communicate therefore I am", which is supported with Karol Wojtyła's intellectual heritage, the Author leads us into the passage of reflections on mass communication phenomenon and its consequences. He introduces boldly and yet precisely the thoughts and notions such as Homo communicans - Persona communicans, indicates differences, synergies and dialogue points. From the communication level, continually fuelled with the same sources of inspiration, he prods us to become familiar with the 4th chapter: "I Participate, therefore I Am" The Author leaves all the "spices" for the end such his genuine attempt to define and categorise such notions as: Mediapolis and Poiema Communications. Both attempts of high quality, successful concepts and methodologically coherent, logically consistent and intellectually highly inspirational.

[...] The Author does not shy away from intellectual provocations, inspires us to reach a high diapason of auto-reflection as well as to "read" the present-day media reality with the eyes deeply plunged into the context of faith and values. These can favour development in an individual as well as collective perspective - of communities and society. Many questions about "divine agency" of media. It seems that at the first reflex we are confused and paralysed with the Author's brave thoughts. Nonetheless in the further part the Authors clarifies what he means; mainly the fact of media's technological omnipotence as well as the fact that media usurp this "divine power" to create everything: what does not exist in media, does not exist in awareness, does not exist at all!

[...] The dissertation demonstrates the outstanding values of autonomy, apt assessments, it is methodologically swift. The Author is also an erudite who skilfully uses words».

Autor: Jarosław Jęczeń
Ostatnia aktualizacja: 20.05.2014, godz. 09:02 - Jarosław Jęczeń