EN
The paper is a study designed for the teaching of the history of philosophy in Poland. It deals with the intellectual portrait of Stanislaw Staszic (1755-1826), a learned naturalist, socio-political writer and philosopher. Staszic philosophical views place him within the phliosophy of Enlightenment which, through its preference for empiricism, hence the natural and historical science, is reluctant to metaphysics. In fact, however, Staszic holds thesisses fundamental for Christian outlook, he rationalizes them, especially in the case of the naturalistic analysis of the development of religion. A special place in his writings is occupied by the philosophy of history. It is oriented at education and finds the dynamism of history in the ways one satisfies one's needs. Ethics and economic reflection remain under the influence of utilitarian tendencies of physiocracy in the form of an empirical analysis of laws of nature.