BIOGRAPHY AND METHOD. BIOGRAPHY AS A KEY TO UNDERSTANDING PERSONAL CREATIVITY (Biografia i metoda. Biografia jako klucz do zrozumienia osobowosci twórczej)

In a philosopher's biography, in his creative personality, as in a 'mental prism', refraction and transformation of many various factors connected with his situation and cultural conditions take place. A philosophical work is the final and objective result of this process. This integral connection between a philosopher's personality and his work was noticed and taken under consideration long ago. Numerous tendencies that have appeared during the last fifty years try to break it. Once inspired by structuralism, they are nowadays inspired by deconstruction and have met with much success. They have led to the writing of 'history of philosophy without philosophers'. The present article arises from the need to rehabilitate the biographical method in philosophy.The author believes that the philosopher as a person stands behind his system and he wants to restore the connection - severed by the contemporary humanities - between a work and its author.