Geras i Fromm. Dwugłos o naturze ludzkiej w cieniu katastrofy

Abstract

Geras and Fromm. Two views on human nature in the shadow of disaster

One of significant contexts of the culture-nature relation is the discussion aimed to examine and deliberate on the causes, consequences and meaning of Shoah for the present day. It is no coincidence that the key question is how this terrifying knowledge of 20^th century crimes affects our understanding of human nature and the humanistic power of culture. This question is the subject of my paper. Among numerous attempts to answer this question we will find works of Richard Rorty, Zygmunt Bauman, Alain Finkielkraut, Norman Geras and Erich Fromm. I would like to focus on the latter two, making just short references to the others. A combined presentation of Geras’ and Fromm’s analyses of human nature in the context that interests us seems justified, because it allows us an in-depth reflection on two different approaches to the issue represented by thinkers rooted in the tradition of socialism.