O potrzebie powrotu do źródeł

The article presents deliberations on the rules of problematisation of the dissertation, introducing critical texts collected in an anthology and a selection thereof. Attention has been paid to the arguments confirming the culture-forming impact of Zarys literatury polskiej z ostatnich lat szesnastu by Piotr Chmielowski, the issues related to the Positivist breakthrough and the related changes in his worldview. Another discussed topic is the criteria and strategies in the 19th century polemics.