Approaching the Other: Essay on “Solaris”

Understanding of Other depends on understanding of oneself and one’s own culture and is often obscured and blocked by ready-made definitions, assessments and standards of description. “Solaris” by S. Lem represents an extraordinary, “radical Other” that cannot be caught or conquered with final words and conclusions. Various modes of perception of Solaris analyzed in this article (distant - close, object - subject, repulsive - attractive) reflects common intentions, emotional attitudes of homo sapiens, and, among them, a deep-seated desire to get rid of incalculable Other as an irritating factor and a threat to human existence. Approaching to Other implies approaching both to oneself (better understanding and straightforward awareness of one’s personal history) and to almost impossible “horizontal” perception of the world where one can be with Other without attempting to make him/her manageable, predictable, hopelessly “one’s own” (existential recognition of Other).

Other, science fiction, “Solaris”, S. Lem, habitual language, anthropocentrism, instrumental reason, observer perspective, self-awareness, boundary situation