S. I. Witkiewicz’s fantastic and spectral view of reality

Abstract

Stanisław Ignacy Witkiewicz (Polish writer, painter, philosopher, playwright and novelist, commonly known as Witkacy) focuses his reflections, philosophical and other ones, along with world outlook assumptions, on “the inner world” phrased in the category of subject – “I”. Two samples of Witkiewicz’s output ( from his literary and popular philosophy works) are referred to with the aim of demonstrating his attempt at getting out of “the inner world”, that is at refuting solipsism which emerged in his works as unwanted consequence of his philosophy. Although Witkiewicz considered solipsism as a fantastic and spectral view of reality, he found it difficult to bear out that solipsism could be disproved. Hence – arguably in despair - he tries a non-substantive solution by enunciating the monadic realism. Consequently, solipsism is rejected but in interpretive terms such a solution is not philosophically satisfying.