This book is a collection of critical essays delivered at a conference Fenomen daru [The phenomenon of the gift], which was held at the Faculty of Social Sciences of Adam Mickiewicz University in April 2004. This book is an interdisciplinary study which integrates various fields of knowledge. From the context of the papers, it can be seen that in the phenomenon of giving various possibilities of interpretation are combined. At the same time it appears that none of the fields of the widely understood humanities can ultimately explain the phenomenon of the gift by itself . In this sense we can speak of one study on giving. Considerations presented may reflect the state of scientific enquiry into the studies of modern culture, and on the other and, contribute to the stimulation of reflection that should correspond with certain optimism connected with the humanities of hope. The search for answers to problems which bothered the authors (among other things, the reciprocal character of the gift, the sacrifice in Christianity, "impossibility" of the gift, the gift of freedom, truth as a gift) is arranged in four parts of which this volume consists - "From the gift to the present", "Phenomenon(ology) of the gift", "The gift in dialogue" and "A gift of oneself " ("Self-sacrifice").