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ChapterOne
TheConceptsofTrustandUncertainty:
IntellectualOriginsandaScope
ofTheoreticalApplications
Thisfocusonthechangingnatureoftrustinmod-
ernizingsocietiesisindeednotsurprisinggiventhe
extraordinaryimportanceofauniversalbasisof
trustinmodern,democraticsocieties.Theemphasis
inmodernsocietiesonconsensus,theideologyof
pragmatism,problem-solving,andtechnocraticex-
pertise,aswellasconflictmanagement(asopposed
toideologicalfission),areallfoundedonanimage
ofsocietybasedoninterconnectednetworksoftrust
—amongcitizens,families,voluntaryorganizations,
religiousdenominations,civicassociations,andthe
like.1
Theconceptoftrusthaswonalmostuniversalacclaimasacognitive
toolenablingamoreinformedinsightintotheculturalfoundations
ofmodern,multiculturalsocieties.Inthisspecificcontext,thenotion
canbeappliedasashorthandforculturalproductivity,apragmatic
strategyofexistenceinthemercurialrealityinhabitedbymyriadsof
elusiveOthers.Asaconsequence,theideaofreciprocaltrustruns
parallelwiththeadventofscholarlyinterestinhumanagency:totrust
istoplaceaphenomenologicalbetonthecontingentandautonomous
actionsperformedbyotherindividuals.Tovesttrust,toputitother-
wise,istobracketofuncertaintiesandcontingenciesassociatedwith
theevasivepresenceoftheOther.2
1AdamB.Seligman,TheProblemofTrust(Princeton:PrincetonUniversity
Press,1997),p.14.
2SeeTadeuszSławek,U-bywać.Człowiek,świat,przyjaźńwtwórczościWilliama
Blake’a(Katowice:WydawnictwoUŚ,2001),p.126.
