Honor i godność jako kategorie etyczne - rozważania filozofów polskich XX wieku

Abstract

The article presents the attempts to replace the category of honour with the category of dignity, made by the Polish ethicists of the 20th century. The emphasis is put on the ideological dimension of these trials. The author quotes Maria Ossowska’s explanation, who in Moral Norms regards honour as a notion associated with the past historical epochs, therefore sees no significant obstacles in replacing it with the category of dignity. The author of the article disagrees with that attitude, and presents alternative viewpoints, especially opinions of Jan Legowicz and modem philosophers concerned with professional (practical) ethics, who also believe that all attempts to eliminate the word honour from the modem humanities vocabulary result in their impoverishment. The word dignity cannot replace honour, as it does not possess its aura, tradition, or emotional colouring; it does not represent its ethical and aesthetical value.