Zeszyty Naukowe. Organizacja i Zarządzanie / Politechnika Śląska, 2015
As the Report on Corporate Social Responsibility shows, there is no specified government institut... more As the Report on Corporate Social Responsibility shows, there is no specified government institution, except Ministry of Social Affairs and Ministry of Economy, dealing with CSR in Slovakia. CSR networks are operated by NGOs. The survey of UNDP and the University of Bratislava (2011) shows, that only 26% of business associations are active in promoting CSR. Most of them are large companies or multinational corporations. There is much to improve in this area. Core strategies supporting sustainable corporate social strategy do not seek short-term profit; they help to create prosperous economy.
ZOZUĽAK, Ján. Monastic identity of Constantine the Philosopher and Methodius and the First Slavic... more ZOZUĽAK, Ján. Monastic identity of Constantine the Philosopher and Methodius and the First Slavic Translations of Ascetic Texts. Before their arrival in Great Moravia, the Thessalonian brothers from Thessaloniki Constantine and Methodius lived in the Polychron monastery at Bithynian Olympus, which belonged to the most prominent monastic centres of the Byzantine Empire in the 9th century. There, they became acquainted with the Byzantine Hesychastic tradition, which served as the foundation for their own work and which they passed down to their disciples. The relative shortness of Constantine and Methodius' stay in Great Moravia precluded the organizing of a monastic way of life in this territory. For this reason, Byzantine Hesychastic tradition only entered the Slavic cultural space with the help of their pupils, who transposed it to the Bulgarian Empire, where first monasteries appeared in the 10th century and became the centres of spiritual and cultural life. The first Slavic translations of ascetic texts The Longer Responses and The Ladder of Divine Ascent are directly linked to the period of establishing the monastic way of life in Bulgaria, on which Constantine and Methodius' disciples significantly participated. These texts would become the practical handbooks on ascetic way of life for monks. Byzantine monastic practice and ascetic tradition had a marked impact not only on monks, but also on pious laypeople, for whom ascetic texts became the models of virtuous life.
This paper analyses self-sacrifice as the highest form of love, focusing on the Byzantine percept... more This paper analyses self-sacrifice as the highest form of love, focusing on the Byzantine perception of ethical principles of self-sacrifice that was transferred into Russian cultural space via translations of neptic literature, thus continuing the ancient philosophical tradition. On the basis of a historical source (Eusebius of Caesarea) the author highlights cases of self-sacrifice in individuals' lives out of charitable love for their neighbours and illuminate a new Christian axiological outlook on sacrifice. Sacrifice and self-sacrifice are not understood in the sense of a victim of the system, but rather as a sacrifice out of love for one's neighbour. Christians approach death positively either through conscious sacrifice/self-sacrifice or through spiritual struggle, ascesis. In relation to this, this paper outlines the topic of self-sacrifice in relation to martyrdom and, subsequently, the martyrdom of conscience, in which the essence of ascetic life originates. The basic aim is to compare the Greek and Russian understanding of self-sacrifice by using specific examples. The foundational sources for this paper are neptic texts, the authors of which, on the basis of their own experience, asked their readers for spiritual struggle and sacrificing their lives to God. Their ideas were transferred to Russian context through the Dobrotolublye, which had a profound impact on the spread of the hesychastic tradition in Russia in the nineteenth century. Exemplars of spiritual struggle within representatives of Russian monasticism, who sacrificed their lives to God and brought a Byzantine understanding of spiritual struggle against passion into Russian
Century. The aim of the article is to present the life and work of Nicholas Kabasilas, one of the... more Century. The aim of the article is to present the life and work of Nicholas Kabasilas, one of the forefront figures of the fourteenth-century Eastern Roman (Byzantine) Empire. Not much information has survived on the life of Nicholas Kabasilas, despite the fact that he was an advisor to the Emperor John VI Kantakouzenos from 1347 to 1354 and significantly influenced the development during his era which was shaken by two very crucial events: Hesychast controversy and the fight for the throne after the death of Andronikos III between Alexios Apokaukos and John VI Kantakouzenos. Misunderstandings and conflicts between Hesychasts and Anti-Hesychasts lay in different starting points and are related to the issue of the humanistic and patristic revival in Byzantium. Greek monk Barlaam of Calabria got into conflict with traditional Byzantine views and he ruled out the possibility of real communion with God, therefore he opposed Hesychasts. The defence of Hesychasts was undertaken by Gregory Palamas, the paramount representative of Byzantine thought and the leading figure of Hesychasm who reacted to the gnosiological issue of God on the basis of distinction between unattainable Divine substance and attainable uncreated Divine energies. Kabasilas did not enter open conflict like Gregory Palamas, but he focused more on the clarification of anthropological questions. He also paid attention to the social issues and problems of common people in need who were fighting for social justice. He criticized usury and injustice of the rich, which led people to poverty and, in turn, violence.
Management Systems in Production Engineering, Jul 13, 2022
The article analyses the problems (dilemmas) in approach to the environmental protection and mana... more The article analyses the problems (dilemmas) in approach to the environmental protection and management. EU has declared the plan for the Great Reset of global economy and environmental politics. The idea is not new, but the approach is expected to be completely different. While the EU leaders set the strategy of centralisation, there are strong claims for opposite way -decentralisation. The second dilemma we analyse in our article is the problem of European Commission massive support of green investments (including using of renewable sources of energy and focus of environmental protection), especially after lockdowns connected with covid pandemic which meets with the strong negative position of those economical circles which see such types of initiatives as green shooting to the economy. Terra Carta as an integral part of Sustainable Markets Initiative was launched in 2020. The third dilemma we pay our attention is connected with the efficiency of new environmental taxes. The article focuses also on the good practice as can be seen in environmental protection management efforts and green solutions for using and saving energy resources. As an examples we assess the projects supporting use of renewable energy in Africa (e.g. Lights for Africa), Cradle to Cradle Program (C2C) and we go back to the Come2CoM. The whole is analysed in the context of corporate social responsibility.
ZOZUĽAK, Ján. Historical Background of the Origin of Byzantine Philosophy. The Byzantine culture ... more ZOZUĽAK, Ján. Historical Background of the Origin of Byzantine Philosophy. The Byzantine culture had a significant influence on the Slavonic cultural context since the arrival of Constantine and Methodius to Great Moravia. Due to the impact of the Enlightenment movement in the 18th century, the history of the Byzantine Empire ended up on the periphery of scientific concern. The very same is true for Byzantine philosophy, which hardly receives any attention from Slovak philosophical circles, despite the fact that, in the 9th century CE, territory of present Slovakia won its place on the philosophical map of Europe as a part of former Great Moravia thanks to Christianizing mission of brothers Constantine and Methodius from Thessaloniki. The recent research revealed the unsubstitutable place of Byzantine philosophy in the history of European philosophical thought. The significant improvement was brought by Byzantinology, bringing the historical research to a turning point. However, the positive change in approach to historical and cultural contributions of Byzantine nations is not yet integrated in western philosophical awareness.
Increased interest in a systematic study of Byzantine philosophy study started to appear from mid... more Increased interest in a systematic study of Byzantine philosophy study started to appear from mid-20th century onward. The most influential figure that helped develop this area of research the most in its early formative years was V. Tatakis. Tatakis uncovered the great value of Byzantine civilization and became an inspiration for scholars who followed in his footsteps in France, Spain, Germany, Austria, Greece and elsewhere. The critical edition of Byzantine commentaries on Aristotle published during this time further supported a more complex scientific work in this field. Many unpublished philosophical text from the Byzantine era await their processing and publishing in a critical edition, which would make them available to be further examined, studied, and included in the corpus of Byzantine philosophy. The Byzantine thinkers created a cosmology that became foundational for Byzantine anthropology. On the level of ontology, they introduced the term "person" (πρόσωπον), defined what later became an established terminology (in this field), and contributed to the philosophical interpretation of terms, such as essence (οὐσία), hypostasis (ὑπόστασις), nature (φύσις), energy (ἐνέργεια) and others. Byzantium had a significant impact on the territory of Great Moravia as well. By virtue of the writing, culture, and art that had been brought to our area by Constantine the Philosopher (Cyril) and Method, conditions for the development of culture in the Slavic environment were established.
ZOZUĽAK, Ján. Historical Background of the Origin of Byzantine Philosophy. The Byzantine culture ... more ZOZUĽAK, Ján. Historical Background of the Origin of Byzantine Philosophy. The Byzantine culture had a significant influence on the Slavonic cultural context since the arrival of Constantine and Methodius to Great Moravia. Due to the impact of the Enlightenment movement in the 18th century, the history of the Byzantine Empire ended up on the periphery of scientific concern. The very same is true for Byzantine philosophy, which hardly receives any attention from Slovak philosophical circles, despite the fact that, in the 9th century CE, territory of present Slovakia won its place on the philosophical map of Europe as a part of former Great Moravia thanks to Christianizing mission of brothers Constantine and Methodius from Thessaloniki. The recent research revealed the unsubstitutable place of Byzantine philosophy in the history of European philosophical thought. The significant improvement was brought by Byzantinology, bringing the historical research to a turning point. However, the positive change in approach to historical and cultural contributions of Byzantine nations is not yet integrated in western philosophical awareness.
ZOZUĽAK, Ján. A Source of Values in the Cultural Life of the Slavs. Slavic script and Slavonic li... more ZOZUĽAK, Ján. A Source of Values in the Cultural Life of the Slavs. Slavic script and Slavonic literature belong to the most important cultural values brought by Constantine-Cyril and Methodius to Great Moravia. The source of these values was the Eastern Roman (Byzantine) Empire and its culture which significantly influenced the history of Slavic nations and their position within the European cultural space. The study discusses three historical documents which demonstrate the supremacy of the Byzantine Empire as a cultural centre viewed from the Slavs' perspective and clarifies the process of reception of Byzantine cultural and spiritual values in Slavic countries. Although the Cyrillo-Methodian mission requested by Rastislav, the Duke of Great Moravia, failed to include Great Moravia permanently into the countries belonging to the Byzantine sphere of influence, the creation of the Slavic alphabet, the origins of Slavonic literature and the use of a Slavic language in liturgy were the most efficient means to promote Byzantine influence on Slavic nations. Cultural legacy of the Cyrillo-Methodian mission moved to the South and Eastern Slavs who accepted Christianity of the Byzantine tradition and became the members of a large cultural community which was known in the language of Byzantium as οἰκουμένη (world). Many cultural elements which formed their value system became a part of their religious and everyday life.
ZOZUĽAK, Ján. Monastic identity of Constantine the Philosopher and Methodius and the First Slavic... more ZOZUĽAK, Ján. Monastic identity of Constantine the Philosopher and Methodius and the First Slavic Translations of Ascetic Texts. Before their arrival in Great Moravia, the Thessalonian brothers from Thessaloniki Constantine and Methodius lived in the Polychron monastery at Bithynian Olympus, which belonged to the most prominent monastic centres of the Byzantine Empire in the 9th century. There, they became acquainted with the Byzantine Hesychastic tradition, which served as the foundation for their own work and which they passed down to their disciples. The relative shortness of Constantine and Methodius' stay in Great Moravia precluded the organizing of a monastic way of life in this territory. For this reason, Byzantine Hesychastic tradition only entered the Slavic cultural space with the help of their pupils, who transposed it to the Bulgarian Empire, where first monasteries appeared in the 10th century and became the centres of spiritual and cultural life. The first Slavic translations of ascetic texts The Longer Responses and The Ladder of Divine Ascent are directly linked to the period of establishing the monastic way of life in Bulgaria, on which Constantine and Methodius' disciples significantly participated. These texts would become the practical handbooks on ascetic way of life for monks. Byzantine monastic practice and ascetic tradition had a marked impact not only on monks, but also on pious laypeople, for whom ascetic texts became the models of virtuous life.
As the Report on Corporate Social Responsibility shows, there is no specified government institut... more As the Report on Corporate Social Responsibility shows, there is no specified government institution, except Ministry of Social Affairs and Ministry of Economy, dealing with CSR in Slovakia. CSR networks are operated by NGOs. The survey of UNDP and the University of Bratislava (2011) shows, that only 26% of business associations are active in promoting CSR. Most of them are large companies or multinational corporations. There is much to improve in this area. Core strategies supporting sustainable corporate social strategy do not seek short-term profit; they help to create prosperous economy.
In this article, we will analyze the influence of Greek spirituality on Russian culture in the se... more In this article, we will analyze the influence of Greek spirituality on Russian culture in the second half of the 18th century, when Enlightenment ideas infused Russian society. Russian intellectual circles and the upper social class were inspired by Western categories of thought. The absence of a living theology that would give man the true meaning of life has caused tension and a great spiritual crisis in Russian society. One possible solution was to start a fight against the Enlightenment and reject any Western ideas. The second solution was to pay attention to the forgotten tradition and look for inspiration in it for the renewal of spiritual life. The spiritual renewal, known as the philokalic movement, leaned towards the second solution, building upon the Byzantine hesychastic tradition of the 14th century. This paved the way for a new era of Orthodox spirituality, which significantly influenced thinking and spiritual life in Russia. The movement of spiritual renewal is associ...
This paper focuses on the philosophical-ethical foundations of Constantine’s definition of philos... more This paper focuses on the philosophical-ethical foundations of Constantine’s definition of philosophy, as well as its anthropological and axiological aspects. The focus is placed on the relationship between definitions of philosophy postulated by Constantine the Philosopher and John of Damascus, the latter of which traces the six classical definitions systematized by Platonic commentators. Byzantine thinkers proposed a method of unifying both the theoretical and practical aspects of ancient philosophy with a Christian way of life by interpreting the classical definitions of philosophy and dividing it into theoretical and practical parts, the latter including ethics. Constantine understood philosophy in the sense of the second (knowledge of things Divine and human) and the fourth (becoming like God) meanings of earlier definitions, with the addition of the Christian sense of acting in accordance with the image of God. In addition to these gnosiological and anthropological aspects, th...
Century. The aim of the article is to present the life and work of Nicholas Kabasilas, one of the... more Century. The aim of the article is to present the life and work of Nicholas Kabasilas, one of the forefront figures of the fourteenth-century Eastern Roman (Byzantine) Empire. Not much information has survived on the life of Nicholas Kabasilas, despite the fact that he was an advisor to the Emperor John VI Kantakouzenos from 1347 to 1354 and significantly influenced the development during his era which was shaken by two very crucial events: Hesychast controversy and the fight for the throne after the death of Andronikos III between Alexios Apokaukos and John VI Kantakouzenos. Misunderstandings and conflicts between Hesychasts and Anti-Hesychasts lay in different starting points and are related to the issue of the humanistic and patristic revival in Byzantium. Greek monk Barlaam of Calabria got into conflict with traditional Byzantine views and he ruled out the possibility of real communion with God, therefore he opposed Hesychasts. The defence of Hesychasts was undertaken by Gregory Palamas, the paramount representative of Byzantine thought and the leading figure of Hesychasm who reacted to the gnosiological issue of God on the basis of distinction between unattainable Divine substance and attainable uncreated Divine energies. Kabasilas did not enter open conflict like Gregory Palamas, but he focused more on the clarification of anthropological questions. He also paid attention to the social issues and problems of common people in need who were fighting for social justice. He criticized usury and injustice of the rich, which led people to poverty and, in turn, violence.
This article was written on the occasion of 40th anniversary of research of Byzantine philosophy,... more This article was written on the occasion of 40th anniversary of research of Byzantine philosophy, which was established in 1975 as a scientific discipline. Previously, the issues of Byzantine Empire were mostly examined by so called "Byzantology", the discipline focused on the study of Byzantine history, languages and arts. After the first monograph on Byzantine philosophy by V. Tatakis was published, in which he introduced the term "Byzantine Philosophy" as the name for an international research, the systematic scientific work has started in this area. Attention is also drawn to the name Byzantine Empire, which is closely linked with the term "Byzantine Philosophy", and stresses the importance of studying Byzantine philosophy in Slovakia in terms of Cyril and Methodius mission. Probably the first definition of philosophy presented in the language of the Slavs is in the work of Constantine the Philosopher.
Management Systems in Production Engineering, 2019
The article is devoted to the importance of the virtue of prudence and attempts to adapt it in th... more The article is devoted to the importance of the virtue of prudence and attempts to adapt it in the contemporary discourse on innovation and sustainable development. The authors come from ancient roots, recalling the positions of Socrates, Plato and, above all, Aristotle. They point to the renewed interest of contemporary researchers in the ethics of virtues and point to the important roles of prudence, prudence and responsibility in the approach to innovation. Innovations are captured as an instrumental value and a tool to shape better living conditions, work, study, rest, all forms of human activity and environmental protection. Therefore, their positive character has been exposed, although the authors also pay attention to the risk and possibility of negative effects if the virtues of nature, such as prudence, caution and responsibility are not well-formed. The authors point out that this is particularly important in the education of engineers who shape the innovative landscape of...
Increased interest in a systematic study of Byzantine philosophy study started to appear from mid... more Increased interest in a systematic study of Byzantine philosophy study started to appear from mid-20th century onward. The most influential figure that helped develop this area of research the most in its early formative years was V. Tatakis. Tatakis uncovered the great value of Byzantine civilization and became an inspiration for scholars who followed in his footsteps in France, Spain, Germany, Austria, Greece and elsewhere. The critical edition of Byzantine commentaries on Aristotle published during this time further supported a more complex scientific work in this field. Many unpublished philosophical text from the Byzantine era await their processing and publishing in a critical edition, which would make them available to be further examined, studied, and included in the corpus of Byzantine philosophy. The Byzantine thinkers created a cosmology that became foundational for Byzantine anthropology. On the level of ontology, they introduced the term "person" (πρόσωπον), defined what later became an established terminology (in this field), and contributed to the philosophical interpretation of terms, such as essence (οὐσία), hypostasis (ὑπόστασις), nature (φύσις), energy (ἐνέργεια) and others. Byzantium had a significant impact on the territory of Great Moravia as well. By virtue of the writing, culture, and art that had been brought to our area by Constantine the Philosopher (Cyril) and Method, conditions for the development of culture in the Slavic environment were established.
ZOZUĽAK, Ján. Historical Background of the Origin of Byzantine Philosophy. The Byzantine culture ... more ZOZUĽAK, Ján. Historical Background of the Origin of Byzantine Philosophy. The Byzantine culture had a significant influence on the Slavonic cultural context since the arrival of Constantine and Methodius to Great Moravia. Due to the impact of the Enlightenment movement in the 18th century, the history of the Byzantine Empire ended up on the periphery of scientific concern. The very same is true for Byzantine philosophy, which hardly receives any attention from Slovak philosophical circles, despite the fact that, in the 9th century CE, territory of present Slovakia won its place on the philosophical map of Europe as a part of former Great Moravia thanks to Christianizing mission of brothers Constantine and Methodius from Thessaloniki. The recent research revealed the unsubstitutable place of Byzantine philosophy in the history of European philosophical thought. The significant improvement was brought by Byzantinology, bringing the historical research to a turning point. However, the positive change in approach to historical and cultural contributions of Byzantine nations is not yet integrated in western philosophical awareness.
Zeszyty Naukowe. Organizacja i Zarządzanie / Politechnika Śląska, 2015
As the Report on Corporate Social Responsibility shows, there is no specified government institut... more As the Report on Corporate Social Responsibility shows, there is no specified government institution, except Ministry of Social Affairs and Ministry of Economy, dealing with CSR in Slovakia. CSR networks are operated by NGOs. The survey of UNDP and the University of Bratislava (2011) shows, that only 26% of business associations are active in promoting CSR. Most of them are large companies or multinational corporations. There is much to improve in this area. Core strategies supporting sustainable corporate social strategy do not seek short-term profit; they help to create prosperous economy.
ZOZUĽAK, Ján. Monastic identity of Constantine the Philosopher and Methodius and the First Slavic... more ZOZUĽAK, Ján. Monastic identity of Constantine the Philosopher and Methodius and the First Slavic Translations of Ascetic Texts. Before their arrival in Great Moravia, the Thessalonian brothers from Thessaloniki Constantine and Methodius lived in the Polychron monastery at Bithynian Olympus, which belonged to the most prominent monastic centres of the Byzantine Empire in the 9th century. There, they became acquainted with the Byzantine Hesychastic tradition, which served as the foundation for their own work and which they passed down to their disciples. The relative shortness of Constantine and Methodius' stay in Great Moravia precluded the organizing of a monastic way of life in this territory. For this reason, Byzantine Hesychastic tradition only entered the Slavic cultural space with the help of their pupils, who transposed it to the Bulgarian Empire, where first monasteries appeared in the 10th century and became the centres of spiritual and cultural life. The first Slavic translations of ascetic texts The Longer Responses and The Ladder of Divine Ascent are directly linked to the period of establishing the monastic way of life in Bulgaria, on which Constantine and Methodius' disciples significantly participated. These texts would become the practical handbooks on ascetic way of life for monks. Byzantine monastic practice and ascetic tradition had a marked impact not only on monks, but also on pious laypeople, for whom ascetic texts became the models of virtuous life.
This paper analyses self-sacrifice as the highest form of love, focusing on the Byzantine percept... more This paper analyses self-sacrifice as the highest form of love, focusing on the Byzantine perception of ethical principles of self-sacrifice that was transferred into Russian cultural space via translations of neptic literature, thus continuing the ancient philosophical tradition. On the basis of a historical source (Eusebius of Caesarea) the author highlights cases of self-sacrifice in individuals' lives out of charitable love for their neighbours and illuminate a new Christian axiological outlook on sacrifice. Sacrifice and self-sacrifice are not understood in the sense of a victim of the system, but rather as a sacrifice out of love for one's neighbour. Christians approach death positively either through conscious sacrifice/self-sacrifice or through spiritual struggle, ascesis. In relation to this, this paper outlines the topic of self-sacrifice in relation to martyrdom and, subsequently, the martyrdom of conscience, in which the essence of ascetic life originates. The basic aim is to compare the Greek and Russian understanding of self-sacrifice by using specific examples. The foundational sources for this paper are neptic texts, the authors of which, on the basis of their own experience, asked their readers for spiritual struggle and sacrificing their lives to God. Their ideas were transferred to Russian context through the Dobrotolublye, which had a profound impact on the spread of the hesychastic tradition in Russia in the nineteenth century. Exemplars of spiritual struggle within representatives of Russian monasticism, who sacrificed their lives to God and brought a Byzantine understanding of spiritual struggle against passion into Russian
Century. The aim of the article is to present the life and work of Nicholas Kabasilas, one of the... more Century. The aim of the article is to present the life and work of Nicholas Kabasilas, one of the forefront figures of the fourteenth-century Eastern Roman (Byzantine) Empire. Not much information has survived on the life of Nicholas Kabasilas, despite the fact that he was an advisor to the Emperor John VI Kantakouzenos from 1347 to 1354 and significantly influenced the development during his era which was shaken by two very crucial events: Hesychast controversy and the fight for the throne after the death of Andronikos III between Alexios Apokaukos and John VI Kantakouzenos. Misunderstandings and conflicts between Hesychasts and Anti-Hesychasts lay in different starting points and are related to the issue of the humanistic and patristic revival in Byzantium. Greek monk Barlaam of Calabria got into conflict with traditional Byzantine views and he ruled out the possibility of real communion with God, therefore he opposed Hesychasts. The defence of Hesychasts was undertaken by Gregory Palamas, the paramount representative of Byzantine thought and the leading figure of Hesychasm who reacted to the gnosiological issue of God on the basis of distinction between unattainable Divine substance and attainable uncreated Divine energies. Kabasilas did not enter open conflict like Gregory Palamas, but he focused more on the clarification of anthropological questions. He also paid attention to the social issues and problems of common people in need who were fighting for social justice. He criticized usury and injustice of the rich, which led people to poverty and, in turn, violence.
Management Systems in Production Engineering, Jul 13, 2022
The article analyses the problems (dilemmas) in approach to the environmental protection and mana... more The article analyses the problems (dilemmas) in approach to the environmental protection and management. EU has declared the plan for the Great Reset of global economy and environmental politics. The idea is not new, but the approach is expected to be completely different. While the EU leaders set the strategy of centralisation, there are strong claims for opposite way -decentralisation. The second dilemma we analyse in our article is the problem of European Commission massive support of green investments (including using of renewable sources of energy and focus of environmental protection), especially after lockdowns connected with covid pandemic which meets with the strong negative position of those economical circles which see such types of initiatives as green shooting to the economy. Terra Carta as an integral part of Sustainable Markets Initiative was launched in 2020. The third dilemma we pay our attention is connected with the efficiency of new environmental taxes. The article focuses also on the good practice as can be seen in environmental protection management efforts and green solutions for using and saving energy resources. As an examples we assess the projects supporting use of renewable energy in Africa (e.g. Lights for Africa), Cradle to Cradle Program (C2C) and we go back to the Come2CoM. The whole is analysed in the context of corporate social responsibility.
ZOZUĽAK, Ján. Historical Background of the Origin of Byzantine Philosophy. The Byzantine culture ... more ZOZUĽAK, Ján. Historical Background of the Origin of Byzantine Philosophy. The Byzantine culture had a significant influence on the Slavonic cultural context since the arrival of Constantine and Methodius to Great Moravia. Due to the impact of the Enlightenment movement in the 18th century, the history of the Byzantine Empire ended up on the periphery of scientific concern. The very same is true for Byzantine philosophy, which hardly receives any attention from Slovak philosophical circles, despite the fact that, in the 9th century CE, territory of present Slovakia won its place on the philosophical map of Europe as a part of former Great Moravia thanks to Christianizing mission of brothers Constantine and Methodius from Thessaloniki. The recent research revealed the unsubstitutable place of Byzantine philosophy in the history of European philosophical thought. The significant improvement was brought by Byzantinology, bringing the historical research to a turning point. However, the positive change in approach to historical and cultural contributions of Byzantine nations is not yet integrated in western philosophical awareness.
Increased interest in a systematic study of Byzantine philosophy study started to appear from mid... more Increased interest in a systematic study of Byzantine philosophy study started to appear from mid-20th century onward. The most influential figure that helped develop this area of research the most in its early formative years was V. Tatakis. Tatakis uncovered the great value of Byzantine civilization and became an inspiration for scholars who followed in his footsteps in France, Spain, Germany, Austria, Greece and elsewhere. The critical edition of Byzantine commentaries on Aristotle published during this time further supported a more complex scientific work in this field. Many unpublished philosophical text from the Byzantine era await their processing and publishing in a critical edition, which would make them available to be further examined, studied, and included in the corpus of Byzantine philosophy. The Byzantine thinkers created a cosmology that became foundational for Byzantine anthropology. On the level of ontology, they introduced the term "person" (πρόσωπον), defined what later became an established terminology (in this field), and contributed to the philosophical interpretation of terms, such as essence (οὐσία), hypostasis (ὑπόστασις), nature (φύσις), energy (ἐνέργεια) and others. Byzantium had a significant impact on the territory of Great Moravia as well. By virtue of the writing, culture, and art that had been brought to our area by Constantine the Philosopher (Cyril) and Method, conditions for the development of culture in the Slavic environment were established.
ZOZUĽAK, Ján. Historical Background of the Origin of Byzantine Philosophy. The Byzantine culture ... more ZOZUĽAK, Ján. Historical Background of the Origin of Byzantine Philosophy. The Byzantine culture had a significant influence on the Slavonic cultural context since the arrival of Constantine and Methodius to Great Moravia. Due to the impact of the Enlightenment movement in the 18th century, the history of the Byzantine Empire ended up on the periphery of scientific concern. The very same is true for Byzantine philosophy, which hardly receives any attention from Slovak philosophical circles, despite the fact that, in the 9th century CE, territory of present Slovakia won its place on the philosophical map of Europe as a part of former Great Moravia thanks to Christianizing mission of brothers Constantine and Methodius from Thessaloniki. The recent research revealed the unsubstitutable place of Byzantine philosophy in the history of European philosophical thought. The significant improvement was brought by Byzantinology, bringing the historical research to a turning point. However, the positive change in approach to historical and cultural contributions of Byzantine nations is not yet integrated in western philosophical awareness.
ZOZUĽAK, Ján. A Source of Values in the Cultural Life of the Slavs. Slavic script and Slavonic li... more ZOZUĽAK, Ján. A Source of Values in the Cultural Life of the Slavs. Slavic script and Slavonic literature belong to the most important cultural values brought by Constantine-Cyril and Methodius to Great Moravia. The source of these values was the Eastern Roman (Byzantine) Empire and its culture which significantly influenced the history of Slavic nations and their position within the European cultural space. The study discusses three historical documents which demonstrate the supremacy of the Byzantine Empire as a cultural centre viewed from the Slavs' perspective and clarifies the process of reception of Byzantine cultural and spiritual values in Slavic countries. Although the Cyrillo-Methodian mission requested by Rastislav, the Duke of Great Moravia, failed to include Great Moravia permanently into the countries belonging to the Byzantine sphere of influence, the creation of the Slavic alphabet, the origins of Slavonic literature and the use of a Slavic language in liturgy were the most efficient means to promote Byzantine influence on Slavic nations. Cultural legacy of the Cyrillo-Methodian mission moved to the South and Eastern Slavs who accepted Christianity of the Byzantine tradition and became the members of a large cultural community which was known in the language of Byzantium as οἰκουμένη (world). Many cultural elements which formed their value system became a part of their religious and everyday life.
ZOZUĽAK, Ján. Monastic identity of Constantine the Philosopher and Methodius and the First Slavic... more ZOZUĽAK, Ján. Monastic identity of Constantine the Philosopher and Methodius and the First Slavic Translations of Ascetic Texts. Before their arrival in Great Moravia, the Thessalonian brothers from Thessaloniki Constantine and Methodius lived in the Polychron monastery at Bithynian Olympus, which belonged to the most prominent monastic centres of the Byzantine Empire in the 9th century. There, they became acquainted with the Byzantine Hesychastic tradition, which served as the foundation for their own work and which they passed down to their disciples. The relative shortness of Constantine and Methodius' stay in Great Moravia precluded the organizing of a monastic way of life in this territory. For this reason, Byzantine Hesychastic tradition only entered the Slavic cultural space with the help of their pupils, who transposed it to the Bulgarian Empire, where first monasteries appeared in the 10th century and became the centres of spiritual and cultural life. The first Slavic translations of ascetic texts The Longer Responses and The Ladder of Divine Ascent are directly linked to the period of establishing the monastic way of life in Bulgaria, on which Constantine and Methodius' disciples significantly participated. These texts would become the practical handbooks on ascetic way of life for monks. Byzantine monastic practice and ascetic tradition had a marked impact not only on monks, but also on pious laypeople, for whom ascetic texts became the models of virtuous life.
As the Report on Corporate Social Responsibility shows, there is no specified government institut... more As the Report on Corporate Social Responsibility shows, there is no specified government institution, except Ministry of Social Affairs and Ministry of Economy, dealing with CSR in Slovakia. CSR networks are operated by NGOs. The survey of UNDP and the University of Bratislava (2011) shows, that only 26% of business associations are active in promoting CSR. Most of them are large companies or multinational corporations. There is much to improve in this area. Core strategies supporting sustainable corporate social strategy do not seek short-term profit; they help to create prosperous economy.
In this article, we will analyze the influence of Greek spirituality on Russian culture in the se... more In this article, we will analyze the influence of Greek spirituality on Russian culture in the second half of the 18th century, when Enlightenment ideas infused Russian society. Russian intellectual circles and the upper social class were inspired by Western categories of thought. The absence of a living theology that would give man the true meaning of life has caused tension and a great spiritual crisis in Russian society. One possible solution was to start a fight against the Enlightenment and reject any Western ideas. The second solution was to pay attention to the forgotten tradition and look for inspiration in it for the renewal of spiritual life. The spiritual renewal, known as the philokalic movement, leaned towards the second solution, building upon the Byzantine hesychastic tradition of the 14th century. This paved the way for a new era of Orthodox spirituality, which significantly influenced thinking and spiritual life in Russia. The movement of spiritual renewal is associ...
This paper focuses on the philosophical-ethical foundations of Constantine’s definition of philos... more This paper focuses on the philosophical-ethical foundations of Constantine’s definition of philosophy, as well as its anthropological and axiological aspects. The focus is placed on the relationship between definitions of philosophy postulated by Constantine the Philosopher and John of Damascus, the latter of which traces the six classical definitions systematized by Platonic commentators. Byzantine thinkers proposed a method of unifying both the theoretical and practical aspects of ancient philosophy with a Christian way of life by interpreting the classical definitions of philosophy and dividing it into theoretical and practical parts, the latter including ethics. Constantine understood philosophy in the sense of the second (knowledge of things Divine and human) and the fourth (becoming like God) meanings of earlier definitions, with the addition of the Christian sense of acting in accordance with the image of God. In addition to these gnosiological and anthropological aspects, th...
Century. The aim of the article is to present the life and work of Nicholas Kabasilas, one of the... more Century. The aim of the article is to present the life and work of Nicholas Kabasilas, one of the forefront figures of the fourteenth-century Eastern Roman (Byzantine) Empire. Not much information has survived on the life of Nicholas Kabasilas, despite the fact that he was an advisor to the Emperor John VI Kantakouzenos from 1347 to 1354 and significantly influenced the development during his era which was shaken by two very crucial events: Hesychast controversy and the fight for the throne after the death of Andronikos III between Alexios Apokaukos and John VI Kantakouzenos. Misunderstandings and conflicts between Hesychasts and Anti-Hesychasts lay in different starting points and are related to the issue of the humanistic and patristic revival in Byzantium. Greek monk Barlaam of Calabria got into conflict with traditional Byzantine views and he ruled out the possibility of real communion with God, therefore he opposed Hesychasts. The defence of Hesychasts was undertaken by Gregory Palamas, the paramount representative of Byzantine thought and the leading figure of Hesychasm who reacted to the gnosiological issue of God on the basis of distinction between unattainable Divine substance and attainable uncreated Divine energies. Kabasilas did not enter open conflict like Gregory Palamas, but he focused more on the clarification of anthropological questions. He also paid attention to the social issues and problems of common people in need who were fighting for social justice. He criticized usury and injustice of the rich, which led people to poverty and, in turn, violence.
This article was written on the occasion of 40th anniversary of research of Byzantine philosophy,... more This article was written on the occasion of 40th anniversary of research of Byzantine philosophy, which was established in 1975 as a scientific discipline. Previously, the issues of Byzantine Empire were mostly examined by so called "Byzantology", the discipline focused on the study of Byzantine history, languages and arts. After the first monograph on Byzantine philosophy by V. Tatakis was published, in which he introduced the term "Byzantine Philosophy" as the name for an international research, the systematic scientific work has started in this area. Attention is also drawn to the name Byzantine Empire, which is closely linked with the term "Byzantine Philosophy", and stresses the importance of studying Byzantine philosophy in Slovakia in terms of Cyril and Methodius mission. Probably the first definition of philosophy presented in the language of the Slavs is in the work of Constantine the Philosopher.
Management Systems in Production Engineering, 2019
The article is devoted to the importance of the virtue of prudence and attempts to adapt it in th... more The article is devoted to the importance of the virtue of prudence and attempts to adapt it in the contemporary discourse on innovation and sustainable development. The authors come from ancient roots, recalling the positions of Socrates, Plato and, above all, Aristotle. They point to the renewed interest of contemporary researchers in the ethics of virtues and point to the important roles of prudence, prudence and responsibility in the approach to innovation. Innovations are captured as an instrumental value and a tool to shape better living conditions, work, study, rest, all forms of human activity and environmental protection. Therefore, their positive character has been exposed, although the authors also pay attention to the risk and possibility of negative effects if the virtues of nature, such as prudence, caution and responsibility are not well-formed. The authors point out that this is particularly important in the education of engineers who shape the innovative landscape of...
Increased interest in a systematic study of Byzantine philosophy study started to appear from mid... more Increased interest in a systematic study of Byzantine philosophy study started to appear from mid-20th century onward. The most influential figure that helped develop this area of research the most in its early formative years was V. Tatakis. Tatakis uncovered the great value of Byzantine civilization and became an inspiration for scholars who followed in his footsteps in France, Spain, Germany, Austria, Greece and elsewhere. The critical edition of Byzantine commentaries on Aristotle published during this time further supported a more complex scientific work in this field. Many unpublished philosophical text from the Byzantine era await their processing and publishing in a critical edition, which would make them available to be further examined, studied, and included in the corpus of Byzantine philosophy. The Byzantine thinkers created a cosmology that became foundational for Byzantine anthropology. On the level of ontology, they introduced the term "person" (πρόσωπον), defined what later became an established terminology (in this field), and contributed to the philosophical interpretation of terms, such as essence (οὐσία), hypostasis (ὑπόστασις), nature (φύσις), energy (ἐνέργεια) and others. Byzantium had a significant impact on the territory of Great Moravia as well. By virtue of the writing, culture, and art that had been brought to our area by Constantine the Philosopher (Cyril) and Method, conditions for the development of culture in the Slavic environment were established.
ZOZUĽAK, Ján. Historical Background of the Origin of Byzantine Philosophy. The Byzantine culture ... more ZOZUĽAK, Ján. Historical Background of the Origin of Byzantine Philosophy. The Byzantine culture had a significant influence on the Slavonic cultural context since the arrival of Constantine and Methodius to Great Moravia. Due to the impact of the Enlightenment movement in the 18th century, the history of the Byzantine Empire ended up on the periphery of scientific concern. The very same is true for Byzantine philosophy, which hardly receives any attention from Slovak philosophical circles, despite the fact that, in the 9th century CE, territory of present Slovakia won its place on the philosophical map of Europe as a part of former Great Moravia thanks to Christianizing mission of brothers Constantine and Methodius from Thessaloniki. The recent research revealed the unsubstitutable place of Byzantine philosophy in the history of European philosophical thought. The significant improvement was brought by Byzantinology, bringing the historical research to a turning point. However, the positive change in approach to historical and cultural contributions of Byzantine nations is not yet integrated in western philosophical awareness.
Uploads
Papers by Jan Zozulak