Stasys Šalkauskis: tautos dorovinio identiteto problema

ENStasys Šalkauskis (1886-1941) lived and worked during a very significant and very dramatic period for the Lithuanian people. At that time, in less than two decades, Lithuanian philosophical terminology was created (by the same author), and Lithuanian philosophers started raising and discussing issues of the ethical, intellectual immanence of Lithuanian people, assessing its chances of establishing itself in the community of European peoples - not only politically, but also intellectually. Šalkauskis excels above other Lithuanian philosophers of the interwar period in his ability to formulate and conceptualize problems which we now discuss as ethical, cultural, etc. He also merits appreciation as these problems arc contextualized on a European and global level and in modem political institutions like the UN, the EU, and NATO. Šalkauskis was among the first Lithuanian philosophers who attempted to tie in Lithuanian national independence with the United Nations and other political and international organisations of his time. l ie argued against nationalism in favour of cultural universality. In the focus of this article is one of the problems raised and discussed by Šalkauskis, namely, the issue of national ethical identity.