Page 159 - EMCAPP-Journal No. 8

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In this case, the personalistic perspective enables an explanation and ju-
stification of the psychological facts to be found in personalistic anthro-
pology.
Personal dispositions can develop into a constantly maturing personality,
which is understood as a concretisation of the realised existential innate
capacities. An important role in the self-realisation of the person develo-
ping into a mature personality is the observation of the motives which
accompany the personal development. These include the following moti-
ves: self-reinforcement, self-protection, self-affirmation, self-expansion,
self-evaluative motives, self-assessment, self-image, self-confidence, self-
relevance. Identity-based motivation and the wish for self-improvement
have great importance in the process of becoming, of individuation, of
development.

The consideration of intentions as a form of individual signification as a
basis for motivation to act is the first level of explanation that the theory
of personality should strive to attain . Intentionality is in fact a signi-
2
ficant context for the moral and religious life of man.
3
3. The theological and psychological existence of the person

According to existentialists, fear for one’s existence, combined with exi-
sting in the world, is nourished by these factrors: surprise, enthusiasm
and insecurity. All this results from the ability to ask these questions:
Who am I?; What am I?; What could or should I be?. In the view of V.E.
Frankl, “Der Wille zum Sinn”, this is the most characteristic feature of the
human being. Meaning lies in values. Freedom without relation to values
becomes blind and dangerous. It is therefore only possible to overcome
the helplessness of man in the face of evil by referring to the world of
(mostly religious) values. This helplessness is described by St. Paul in his
letter to the Romans (Rom. 7,15-17). Perhaps this is why J. F. Crosby
4
emphasises that such a form of human existence is that of a person who
is denoted as ungodly. In this way, he delineates a significant difference
between the person of a human being and the person of God.

Holiness is an important personal attribute. This attribute is ascribed to
God, but also to man, who is made in his image. A person is holy. Whate-
ver is holy is noble, has dignity, may not trampled underfoot, destroyed.
It is not permissible to destroy the dignity of the human person or of
God’s person. It can happen that a person’s behaviour is without dignity.
He cannot actualise his fundamental disposition in himself, but, in the
depths of his ontic structure, he remains holy, and this is the basis of his
dignity.

2 J.C. Wakefield, Levels of explanation in personality theory. In: Personality psychology.
Recent trends and emerging directions, eds. By D.M. Buss, N.Cantor, New York, 1989,
Springer-Verlag, pp. 336.
3 Mroczkowski I., Die Natur der menschlichen Person, Grundlagen der menschlichen
Identität. The Nature of Human Being. Foundation of Human Identity. Płock PWN,
2012, pp. 248-286.
4 J.F. Crosby, Der Umriss der Philosophie der Person. Die Selbstheit. The Selfhoodof the
Human Person. Kraków Wyd.WAM 2007, pp. 277-312.
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