Letter to Kazimierz Twardowski written 30.12.1920

Author Roman Ingarden

Category outgoing correspondence, Polish researchers

Archive Joined Libraries WFiS UW, IFiS PAN and PTF

Date of creation 30.12.1920

Related places Warsaw, Zakopane

Reference code in archive PTF Rps 02.1, t. XII

Resource type letter

Subject matter academic issues, personal issues, publication issues

Field philosophy

Tags #academic work, #acknowledgements, #article, #birth of a son, #Christmas, #Cracow Society, #Kazimierz Twardowski, #lack of time, #lectures, #lecturing activities, #movement, #New Year wishes, #On the Need for Reform of Our Philosophical Societies, #Philosophical Institute, #Philosophical Movement, #Psychological Society, #Roman Ingarden, #school term, #school work, #son of Ingarden, #Warsaw, #wishes, #Zakopane

30/12/1920
Zakopane

Most Honourable Professor!

I haven’t yet answered your last letter, because I have so little time during the school term that I’ve developed a constant backlog in my correspondence. Now I’ve come to Zakopane for Christmas to be with my wife, so I’m using my free time to write.

First of all, I thank you for your good wishes on the occasion of my son’s birth. Praise God, so far he’s doing very well. I wanted to bring my wife to Warsaw now with the little one, but I don’t know whether it can be managed, due to difficult transport conditions.

In Warsaw, nothing new. At the Psychological Society, a completely despairing mood prevails, lectures (with exceptions) very bad, no discussions; at the same time, those who are conscious of this sad state of affairs are possessed by a lack of belief that the existing situation can be changed. I’ve raised this question several times at meetings of the Board, but have achieved only agreement that things are going badly. Nobody can find the energy or time to organise any work at the Society; as a result, attempts by individuals end in fiascos. It seems that the Philosophical Institute functions no better, but I’m not sufficiently informed on that subject. This sad state of affairs, which for me personally is unbearable, resulted, following my arrival in Zakopane, in my writing a few pages, ‘On the Need for Reform of Our Philosophical Societies’ (I write in pluralis, because the experiences I had at the Cracow Society were very similar to my Warsaw experiences!), and I’m sending you what I’ve written. I’d like to publish this in Movement, so as to attempt in this manner to raise the relevant issues. I don’t know whether this brief article is written in a politically adept manner or whether the programme I’ve sketched out is a good one. I only know that what I’ve written about the factual situation is true. I’m afraid that the article will cause indignation rather than reflection in certain circles. Because you have more experience than I do, I’m asking you to kindly judge as to whether this article can or should be published. If not, I’m asking you only to keep it; I’ll take it back when I get a chance at some point.

I send my cordial wishes for a prosperous New Year and enclose expressions of profound esteem

Roman Ingarden