Obcość i inność zdehumanizowanego obiektu: rozważania nad wielowymiarowością zjawiska odczłowieczenia w kontekście pojęć "obcego" i "innego"

Strangeness and otherness of a dehumanized object: reflections on multidimensionality of the phenomenon of dehumanization in the context of concepts of a "stranger" and an "other" The article presents selected basic perspectives on mechanism of dehumanization in the context of the concept of „stranger”. Although the latter is derived from the philosophy of dialogue, which makes its rather unusual choice in the context of discussing issues in the field of social psychology, it seems that it may prove useful. Basing on the article by Glinkowski (2019), its meaning was analyzed in the context of such terms as „other” and „neighbor”.They served as a scheme organizing the multitude of perspectives on the mechanisms underlying dehumanization. In particular, the issue of ambivalence of dehumanization was analyzed, which, it seems, never being complete, does not deprive its object of all its humanity. Authors such as Bloom (2017), Lang (2010) and Manne (2016) question a number of basic claims related to this concept. According to these scholars, some classically recalled historical examples of dehumanization, such as the behavior of the Nazis towards their victims, can be better understood without referring to the mechanism of dehumanization. In particular, the essence of sadism can be more fully captured if one takes into account the motivations of the perpetrators who targeted not dehumanized „empty” objects, i.e. objects devoid of mental life, but human beings. If dehumanization is to be understood as an inability (motivated or not) to perceive emotions, intentions and thoughts of the victim, then, according to Bloom (2017), objects of Nazi violence were certainly not dehumanized. The discussion of these allegations is presented not so much in order to reject the concept of dehumanization as to show the complexity and multidimensionality of this phenomenon.Both positive and negative potential negative consequences of this fact have been discussed. On the one hand, this fact may lead to pessimism. Perhaps intuitive beliefs that a dehumanized object can at worst arouse indifference – but not motivation for aggression – seem to be inaccurate. It usually contains enough „of a human being” to become its plausible target - as historical data suggests. On the other hand, the humanity of the dehumanized object - her strangeness – can possibly lead to change of perception and humanization.