To mark the 30th anniversary of the establishment of the Institute of Philosophy at the University of Zielona Góra, a two-day academic conference was organized, bringing together scholars from Poland and abroad.
The conference was an opportunity to reflect on the milestones that have shaped the history of philosophy in Zielona Góra, as well as to discuss contemporary philosophical thought. “This is an opportunity, first of all, to look at the past and see what the institute has lived through. As scholars, we invited both our current and former colleagues, friends from various academic centers in Poland and abroad, to the conference. These are people with whom we have collaborated and with whom we intend to continue working—there is room for such cooperation in the future. The theme of the conference is cooperation as a category rooted in the social sciences and humanities,” explained Dr. Paweł Walczak, Deputy Director of the Institute of Philosophy.
This notion of cooperation was discussed in the context of axiology, ethics, and rationality. Speakers also addressed issues related to the traditions of the Lwów–Warsaw School. Another important topic was the philosophical ideas developed at the Institute itself—such as the role of women in philosophy and the practical approach to philosophy, including coaching and philosophical counseling.
As summarized by Dr. hab. Joanna Dudek, Professor UZ and Director of the Institute of Philosophy: “In today’s world, where everything and everyone is being commercialized, philosophy—this reflection on the human being—is indispensable. Philosophy is more than therapy. It is the search for oneself, the understanding of the world. Philosophy remains relevant at all times.”
It is worth recalling that the roots of the philosophical community in Zielona Góra date back to the 1970s, when the Department of Philosophy operated at the Tadeusz Kotarbiński Pedagogical University under the direction of Prof. Antoni Klinger. A key date is October 1, 1995, when the Institute of Philosophy was established, with Prof. Krzysztof Kaszyński appointed as its first director. A year later, five-year master’s studies in philosophy began. In 2000, the Institute obtained the right to confer doctoral degrees in the humanities in the field of philosophy, and soon afterward the first doctoral defenses took place. Today, the Institute of Philosophy at UZ offers three academic programs: Philosophy (BA and MA), Coaching and Philosophical Counseling, and Cultural Studies. It also trains PhD students within the Doctoral School of Humanities and Social Sciences.
The conference was held under the patronage of: the Rector of the University of Zielona Góra, Prof. Wojciech Strzyżewski; the Mayor of Zielona Góra, Marcin Pabierowski; the Marshal of the Lubuskie Voivodeship, Sebastian Ciemnoczołowski; the Lubuskie Scientific Society; the Institute of Philosophy and Sociology of the Polish Academy of Sciences; and the Zielona Góra Branch of the Polish Philosophical Society.
