Human nature as the principle of pedagogical practice in the work of Živan Bezić

Članak istražuje shvaćanje ljudske naravi u Živana Bezića (1921–2007), znanstvenika i pisca, profesora pastoralne teologije i povremeno pedagogije, moralne teologije i ascetike, misiologije i župne administracije na splitskom bogoslovnom učilištu, autora više od tristo znanstvenih članaka, uglavnom iz područja etike, ascetike i pedagogije. Iako Bezić o naravi ne raspravlja sustavno, on tu temu dotiče u više svojih djela, a posebno u knjigama Kršćansko savršenstvo (1986) i Etika i život (1995). Priroda (fyzis, natura) podrazumijeva sveukupnost svijetu urođene i prirođene materijalne i biološke stvarnosti koja nije plod čovjekova djelovanja. Ukupnost svih bića čini naravni red. Naravno savršenstvo jest punina svih dobara koja pripadaju naravi nekog bića. Bezić o pojmovima priroda i narav govori kao o sinonimima, s tim da pojam narav dodatno podrazumijeva unutarnji, nepromjenljivi i bitni ustroj bića, počelo djelovanja bića. Kad govori o zakonima, Bezić prirodnima naziva one zakone koji reguliraju tijek prirodnih pojava, svojstvene organskom, anorganskom, materijalnom svijetu, dok naravnim zakonima naziva one koji reguliraju slobodno ljudsko ponašanje. Bezić se u ovom bitno ne odvaja od tradicionalnog nauka o naravi kao počelu djelovanja bićā s ontološkim i antropološkim oznakama i prirode kao izvan-ljudskog tj. materijalnog, biljnog i životinjskog svijeta, odnosno, nešto uže i filozofski, prirode kao unutarnjeg principa ponašanja ili načina djelovanja neke stvari. Što se tiče čovjeka i njegove naravi, Bezić stoji na pozicijama tradicionalnog skolastičkoga nauka kako je naravni zakon jednak i obvezan za sve ljude i sve naraštaje, tj. uživa univerzalnu vrijednost. Ljudska narav (čovječnost, rekao bi Bezić) posebno je počelo ljudskog djelovanja. Čovjek može biti čovjek samo na čovječji način, u skladu sa svojom naravi. Ljudska je narav u sebi dobra, ali nepostojana. Posebna je oznaka ljudske naravi razumnost, pa u čovjeku može biti prirodno samo ono što je razumno. U čovjeku se nalazi i druga duhovna moć – volja, čiji objekt jest dobro. Ne smiju se previdjeti ni emocije. Navedenim moćima odgovaraju funkcije spoznaje, htijenja i osjećanja. Čovjek koji je odgojio i oplemenio do krajnjih mogućnosti sve svoje tjelesne, duševne, psihofizičke i moralne sposobnosti posjeduje naravno savršenstvo. Naravne kreposti (razboritost, pravednost, jakost i umjerenost) stječu se vježbom, imaju svoju naravnu svrhu, daju lakoću u djelovanju. Bezić nadnarav određuje kao savršenstvo naravi, kao puninu svih oznaka koje pripadaju nekom biću, kao skladno jedinstvo svih sastavnica koje ga sačinjavaju i služe ispunjenju njegove svrhe, čim vjerojatno i nehotice poistovjećuje nadnarav s naravnim savršenstvom. U trećem dijelu članka propitkuje se odgojivost ljudske naravi, odnosno raspravlja pojmovni par osoba – ličnost. Bezić se suprotstavlja onima koji tvrde da je ljudska narav neodgojiva, ali i onima koji tvrde da je sasvim podložna vanjskim utjecajima. Hvale je vrijedna njegova izreka: »odgoj nije nemoćan, ali nije ni svemoćan«, što znači: odgoj je moguć i učinkovit samo u granicama mogućnosti naravi i mogućnosti društva. Ovdje se Bezić dotiče i izgradnje ljudske ličnosti. Ličnost je ljudska osoba sa svojom specifičnom duhovnom fizionomijom koja ostvaruje puninu svog čovještva. Čine je prije svega svijest o vlastitom jastvu i individualnosti. Izlaganje o naravi, pa i Bezićevo, ima svoju primjenu u etici gdje se narav postavlja kao jedan od izvora morala. Svoje mjesto izlaganje o naravi ima i u odgojnim znanostima jer odgoj treba zasnovati na ljudskoj naravi, ali se ne smije zanemariti činjenica da se svaki odgoj zbiva u konkretnom društvu i za konkretno društvo. Bezićevo izlaganje o naravi ima značenje i što se tiče razvoja ljudske ličnosti jer odiše optimizmom i vjerom u mogućnost potpuno ostvarene ljudske ličnosti.The article examines the understanding of human nature in the work of Živan Bezić (1921–2007), scholar and writer, professor of pastoral theology and occasionally of pedagogy, moral theology and ascetics, missiology and parish administration at the School of Theology in Split, author of more than three hundred scientific articles, mainly in the field of ethics, ascetics, and pedagogy. Although Bezić has not discussed human nature systematically, he has touched upon this topic in several of his works, especially in the books Kršćansko savršenstvo (Christian Perfection, 1986) and Etika i život (Ethics and Life, 1995). Nature (fyzis, natura) implies the omnientirety of the material and biological reality inherent in the world which is not the fruit of human action. Entirety of all beings constitutes a natural order, while the natural perfection is the fulfilment of all goods that belong to the nature of a particular being. Bezić uses the notions ‘priroda’ and ‘narav’ as synonyms for ‘nature,’ which implies an inner, unchangeable and essential structure of the being, the principle of the action of human being. When he speaks of laws, Bezić distinguishes the laws of nature from natural law. According to Bezić, the laws of nature (‘prirodni zakoni,’ leges naturae) are those which regulate the course of natural phenomena, characteristic of the organic, anorganic, material world, while, natural moral law (‘naravni zakon,’ lex naturalis moralis) is that which regulates the freedom of human behaviour. Bezić’s view does not greatly deviate from the traditional doctrine on human nature (‘narav’) as the principle of the action of human being with onthological and anthropological features, and nature (‘priroda’) as an extra-human, i.e. material, plant and animal world, that is, in the narrower philosophical sense, nature as an internal principle of conduct or action of a thing. With regard to man and his nature, Bezić stands on the positions of the traditional scholastic doctrine, according to which natural law (‘naravni zakon’) is equal and binding for all people and all generations, i.e. enjoys universal value. Human nature (humanity, as Bezić would put it) is a special principle of human action. A man can be a man only in a human manner, i.e. in conformity with his nature. Human nature is good in itself, yet inconsistent. A particular feature of human nature is rationality, and thus only that which is rational can be natural in a man. Man also possesses another spiritual power – will, the good being its object. Nor should emotions be overlooked. Inherent in these powers are the functions of cognition, will and emotion. A man who has reared and cultivated to the utmost extreme all his physical, spiritual, psychophysical and moral abilities possesses natural perfection. Cardinal virtues (prudence, justice, fortitude, and temperance) are acquired through exercise, have their natural purpose and add efficiency to action. Supernature Bezić defines as a perfection of nature, as a wholeness of all features that belong to a being, as a harmonious unity of all its components which constitute it and which serve the fulfilment of its purpose, by which he most probably and unintentionally equalizes supernature with natural perfection. Questioned in the third part of the article is the educability of human nature, that is, the conceptual pair person – personality. Bezić argues against those who claim that human nature cannot be educated, but also those who claim that it is fully submissive to external influences. Worthy of mention is his saying: »education is neither impotent nor omnipotent«, implying that education is possible and efficient only within the bounds of the capability of human nature and the capability of society. Here Bezić touches upon the construction of human personality. Personality is a human person with its specific spiritual physionomy which accomplishes the wholeness of its humanity. It is primarily composed of the consciousness of one’s own self and individuality. The study of human nature, including that of Bezić, may find its application in ethics, where human nature is set as one of the moral sources. The study of nature may also find its place in educational disciplines, because education ought be based on human nature, whereby one should not disregard the fact that every form of education takes place in a concrete society and for a concrete society. Bezić’s exposition on nature is also significant for the development of human personality, because it is infused with optimism and faith into the possibility of a fully accomplished human personality