Józef Tischner’s epistemology of “political reason” and the “ethics of truth”

That which connects ethics and epistemology is the concept of truth. The threads concerned with the ethical and epistemological understanding of truth are interwoven throughout the history of philosophy. They are also interwoven in Józef Tischner’s philosophy. In Tischner’s thought, the description of this interweave and its consequences, as well as ways of dealing with it, are very inspiring. In the present paper, I address Tischner’s highly interesting analysis of the development of the “political reason.” Then I juxtapose this analysis with Tischner’s demand concerning the “ethics of truth.” I also show how Tischner, by referring to the Gospel and proposing a peculiar ‘Christological imperative,’ resolves dilemmas emerging at the interface of epistemology and ethics. Thanks to the reference to Christ, who not only realizes the ideal of the “ethics of truth,” but also becomes the privileged “vantage point of the world,” and thus a peculiar epistemological centre, the connection between the epistemological and ethical dimensions of truth is established. Also, a sufficiently solid justification for the demand that the “ethics of truth” be realized becomes possible, and the way of defending oneself against the charm spread by the “political reason” and its works is identified.