Świętochowski versus Ochorowicz. Spór o duszę: początki

Abstract

The article presents the history of the dispute over the concept of science and methods of studying psychic phenomena (soul and spirit, as it was said in the 19th century), which broke out between Julian Ochorowicz (1850–1917), Aleksander Świętochowski (1849–1938) and Feliks Bogacki (1847–1916), who supported the latter. The dispute concerned the foundations of positivism in Poland as a philosophy, a scientific method, and an idea intended to change social, literary life. Ochorowicz was attacked by the editors of the magazine he had worked with („Przegląd Tygodniowy”) since his debut in 1867 (he was 17 at the time). The polemics with his theses occurred after the publication of the book Wstęp i pogląd ogólny na filozofię pozytywną (Warsaw 1872), the ideas of which the philosopher and psychologist practically developed in the treatise Duch i mózg. Studium psychofizjologiczne (Warsaw 1872). Ochorowicz advocated for pluralism of currents and methods within the positivist wind, an anti-dogmatist. He challenged the authority of Littre and Comte as the fathers of this current. Świętochowski perceived this not only as an attack on his leadership in the camp of young Warsaw positivists but also on the foundations of the scientific method. The evolution of the views of both thinkers was soon to have Świętochowski experiencing an acute crisis of faith in science as the basis of the positivist worldview, which he expressed in Dumania pesymisty (1876). Ochorowicz soon became a researcher not only of phenomena in the field of scientifically understood psychology but also from the sphere of occultism, mediumism, and spiritism, which he expressed in the five-part work Zjawiska mediumiczne (Warsaw 1913–1914). However, he was remembered not only as a talented publicist and essayist but also as a pioneer of psychology methodology, criminology and one of the pioneers of… television.