Spór o koncepcję życia. Polemika Mieczysława A. Krąpca z Kazimierzem Kłósakiem

This paper presents a philosophical dispute on the nature and the origin of life. At the beginning author analyzes the central philosopical concepts of life which appeared in the history of philosophy and examines a main manifestations of life in its action. This inquiry leads to recogniton of a living substance as different from matter. Than author recalls the discussion between K. Kłósak and M. A. Krąpiec on the philosophical explanation of life and its genesis. Kłósak postulated a concept in which God have established such laws of nature, so the matter could yield life on its own. Krąpiec rejected Kłósak's concept of an indirect creation of life and argued that the only rational explanation of life is the special, direct act of God's creation. Krąpiec, relying on St. Thomas Aquinas, argued that God cannot use matter (or any other intermediary tools) in creation of a substance. Author concludes that reductionism in explanation of life bears ethical consequences, because cannot set any barriers to the artificial modifications of living organism.