Calvin O. Schrag’s Concept of Transversal Rationality

An Interpretive Framework and Its Relevance to Polish Cultural and Communication Studies

Abstract

This article seeks to formulate a processual concept of subjectivity in response to the crisis of traditional identity paradigms brought about by the radical pluralization of the axiological sphere in the era of globalization. Its primary objective is to apply Calvin O. Schrag’s concept of transversal rationality within the field of Polish cultural and communication studies. The author argues that transversality – understood as the capacity to integrate heterogeneous spheres of existence (corporeal, ethical, and agentic) – constitutes an essential tool for preserving individual autonomy under conditions of liquid modernity. The analysis is conducted through an interdisciplinary dialogue between Schrag’s thought and the works of prominent Polish scholars. By juxtaposing it with Józef Kozielecki’s theory of transgressive psychology, the subject is defined as an inherently expansive being whose development is driven by hubristic motivation and the continual transcendence of symbolic boundaries. This perspective is further complemented by Kazimierz Dąbrowski’s theory of positive disintegration, which makes it possible to interpret identity crises as constructive stages in the formation of a hierarchical system of values. In contrast to Zygmunt Bauman’s diagnoses concerning the erosion of stable social structures, the proposed processual concept of subjectivity emphasizes agency and ethical responsiveness to the Other as the foundations for maintaining ontological coherence.