ABSTRACT
Metaphysics aside, there is nothing particularly unusual or untoward about a country taking pride in the accomplishments of its citizens. In addition to the cultural contributions, which include what is traditionally thought of as "the arts"—music, literature, painting, and to some extent philosophy—that touch the emotional side of man's nature, there are also, of course, contributions to science, law, economics, and so on. From the legitimate concept of linguistic similarities and certain cultural continuities that can be collected in some logical fashion and identified with a national or ethnic identity, it does not follow that a monolithic "spirit" emerges as the metaphysical equivalent of a Platonic Idea. In East-Central Europe, the metaphysical models of ethnicity must be understood in relation to the special historical and cultural background of each region. The metaphysical "nation" is most problematic when defined in racial terms.
