Philosophy and Culture - rubric Characteristics of society

Abstract: This article analyzes the phenomenon of media culture as one of the aspects of modern sociocultural realities and its interpretation from the perspective of culturological and philosophical discourses. Special attention is dedicated to the impact of media culture overall and media images (as cultural texts) in particular upon the mentality and worldview of its carriers and consumers. An attempt is made to examine media culture as one of the factors contributing to the formation of such subcultures as survivalism and “reclusion”. The author uses information approach to explore the aforementioned subcultures as a process and result of the synthesis of social and information phenomena. System approach suggest viewing media culture and subcultures, forming around and within it, as a part of sociocultural realities. The scientific novelty consists in the author’s attempt to determine in the context of culturological research the grounds of the established in modern postindustrial information type of culture and developing subcultures of survivalists and “recluses”; as well as in the analysis of representation of these subcultures in media culture and forms of their popularization.

Keywords: reclusion, survivalism, subculture, basic culture, media images, information society, media culture, media, subcultural formation, Internet space

DOI: 10.7256/2454-0757.2017.9.15165

Abstract: This article examines the actualization of the meanings of sport in the discursive realm of recognition. The main idea of the discourse of recognition is described through the hermeneutic interpretation of the works of P. Ricœur, which allows detecting the social the need for designing a specific realm of sport discursiveness. The body of an athlete, which represents the natural characteristics of a human, is initially indicated in the discourse of recognition as identification. The social identifies an athlete as a representation of particular features of the natural, which appear to be important for designing the society itself alongside the other social discourses. Methodologically, the author comprehends the human beingness as a language social reality that is saturated with the meanings of human existence. This suggests the perception of the integral human beingness within the space of presence and space of meaning, particularly identified by H. U. Gumbrecht in his works. Scientific novelty consists in interpretation of the need for emergence of the realm of sport in the social within the structures of the discourse of recognition. The article detects the actualization of meanings of the social through designing the special sort of natural body, realm and time of sport, by the virtue of which the society simultaneously displays and acquires the generic essences.

Keywords: sport, kind, artificial, natural, nature, corporeality, recognition, body, sport discourse, social reality

Abstract: The article contains a review of the main provisions of prognosis theories introduced by famous Russian scientists from the point of view of economic, socio-political, cultural, scientific and environmental aspects of building a global information society. It is noted that unlike diversified and many-level futurological conceptions of the future suggested by Western scientists, Russian (Soviet) scientists demonstrated succession and methodological unity in their works, which, in fact, made them the ‘Russian school’. The author of the article describes M. Moiseev’s principles of development o information society and tools of collective intellect. The author also analyzes the global civilization model proposed by famous Russian scientists G. Osipova, B. Kuzykina and Yu. Yakovts which allows to study interactions between civilizations in the 6 aspects: geodemographic, geo environmental, geo technological, geo economic, geo political, geo social and cultural.

Keywords: philosophy, futurology, information society, globalization, geo systems, evolution, co-evolution, socio-cultural, conception of the humankind future, trans-civilization model.

DOI: 10.7256/2454-0757.2017.1.21421

Abstract: The subject of this research is the role of culture in emergence of the “South Korea’s economic miracle”, which can be viewed as rapid change in the economic sphere of social life during the process of modernization of society. M. Weber, whose research laid foundation for the cultural determinism, signified the impact of culture upon the economic activity of society in the beginning of the XX century. However, by the end of the century it became evident that endowing culture with special role in the process of modernization of society, distorts the picture of the reality. The concept of R. Inglehart on the complementary nature of correlations between the various spheres of social life comprises the methodology of this work. Examination of “South Korea’s economic miracle” confirms the relevance of the proposed theory, demonstrating how within the specific historical period, all of the spheres of social life (economic, political, social, and spiritual) interacted, complemented, and enriched each other, which led to the emergence of the aforementioned phenomenon.

Keywords: Confucianism, mentality, religion, culture, politics, nation, economic miracle, South Korea, modernization, Christianity

DOI: 10.7256/2454-0757.2017.1.68576

Keywords: Confucianism, mentality, religion, culture, politics, nation, economic miracle, South Korea, modernization, Christianity

DOI: 10.7256/2454-0757.2015.1.13599

DOI: 10.7256/2454-0757.2015.1.66112

Abstract: In her article Tsvetkova analyzes the influence of the most popular English-speaking author and a major prose writer of the XIX century Charles Dickens (1812 – 1870) on the shaping of public opinion regarding social reformation processes. Social reformation was one of the most acute issues for Victorian England, the country that surprised people of those times with the social, political and economic development, ‘shadow sides’ and social contradictions that were concentrated in Victorian England like nowhere else in the world. At the same time, despite the serious situation, Victorian society did not seem to focus on the need to resolve the situation by the means of systemic social reforms instead of local actions and encouragement of self-help ideas. The terms ‘social welfare state’ and ‘class solidarity’ were associated with radical attitudes and the revolution. Transformation of public opinion towards paternalism and refusal of the principle of laissez-faire was in many ways encouraged by English literature and publicistic writing of that period. According to one of the first Oxford professors in English literature George Gordon, the purpose of that literature was not only to enlighten and educate but also ‘to save our souls and to heal the country’, in other words, to create an ideology which could replace a religion. In her research Tsvetkova has used general scientific methods including the method of ascension from the abstract to the concrete, method of idealization, method of formalization as well as methods of literary research such as the biographic method, psychoanalytical method, formal method, structural method and cultural historical method. According to Tsvetkova, Charles Dickens’ creative work was too politicized. Soviet researchers saw only one side of Dickens as a ‘progressive writer’, defender of national democratic culture, a man of the people and a friend of ‘the diminished and unfortunate’ while English critics on the contrary emphasized Dickens’ sympathy for the small bourgeoisie social groups.

Keywords: English literature, social reforms, Charles Dickens, social utopia, public opinion, social responsibility, paternalism, individualism, laissez-faire, critical realism.

Abstract: The article is devoted to the relations between economics and identity. The author of the article shows their close interaction and mutual dependence. The author also reveals the role of economics as one of the contexts for identity formation influencing the human values. The author also views such important aspects of the above mentioned problem as the changing identity and capitalism future. According to the author, there is a certain need in the transfer from consumer society to the sustainable development ensuring the safety of nature and culture.

Keywords: philosophy, identity, economics, consumer society, capitalism, consumerism, modernization, social changes, globalization context.

DOI: 10.7256/2454-0757.2014.1.10369

DOI: 10.7256/2454-0757.2014.1.63774

Abstract: The analysis of affective experience has a number of particular limitations and one of such limitations is the impossibility to provide a credible description of mental processes under the direct influence by a «strong passion». We should understand that affect is a state of mind when an observer loses his ability to see himself as others would see him. No matter how fast a researcher is, he can observe phenomena that happened «before» or «after» an event but he can never observe what is happening «during» the event. This is why researchers often refer to classical authors and philosophers. Therefore, when we compare ideas described by different observers we should always keep in mind that similarities between their theories are not so obvious and may actually turn out to be an illusion. To some extent, theories about affect deal with the internal but not external side of the process and describe the phenomenology of consciousness when the mind is «frozen» and therefore are similar to theories in literature. Of course, it is simplifying assumption and of course Kant’s and Hume’s ideas have more in common than Byron’s and Goethe’s esthetic metaphors. Nevertheless, contradictions and multiple meanings of similar terms in different philosophies puts in doubt all kinds of generalization. The author of the article makes the following conclusion: since there is a constant threat that the data for research can be unreliable, conclusions should be made based on special rules similar to those that are used in the many-valued logic. Traditional «yes’ and «no» are replaced with «maybe» stressing out a particular change of failure.

Keywords: affect, influence, passion, enlightenment, mind, David Hume, Immanuel Kant, Baruch Spinoza, religion, community.

Abstract: The article analyzes the social and political views f the Antique philosophers and their relation to modern political issues. The study of the most important provisions of philosophy by Plato, Aristotle, stoics, Cicero, Seneca allows to conclude that at early stages of its development the European philosophy was already aimed at fighting all forms of violence, nursing social interests, responsibility for the fate of a state institution and desire to serve to the common well- being and humanity. Due to that, in ancient Greek and Roman texts one can discover the approach to philosophy as a practical knowledge to be applied to political life and state construction. Such a view on the role of philosophy in the society promoted the tradition of critical analysis of statehood, politics, violence and creation of the ‘perfect state’ model. Performing its functions (critical analysis, prognosis, cultural up-bringing) modern political philosophy, just as Ancient philosophy, greatly contributes to solving political issues, fighting violence and forming new systems of values that responds to the challenges of the globalizing world. Dialogue with the Ancient legacy can help a lot in achieving these goals since it would allow not only to better understand the genesis and nature of many modern theories, but also to bring into focus the positive but unused potentials of previously existing philosophies.

Keywords: philosophy, violence, state institution, Ancient times, authenticity, activity, humanity, justice, politics, society, tyranny.

DOI: 10.7256/2454-0757.2014.2.10370

DOI: 10.7256/2454-0757.2014.2.63924

Abstract: The present article continues the discussion of historical and cultural peculiarities of the genesis of Russian entrepreneurship at different levels of the business-government-society relations. In the previous article, the authors viewed the reasons of disharmony between entrepreneurship and political authority. Based on the analysis of rich historical materials, the authors prove the Russian government itself creates certain obstacles for the development of private enterprises. In pre-revolutionary Russia, the close connection between entrepreneurship and state authority had rather questionable consequences. The main target of the economic strategy and the main success criterion was the absorption of someone else’s property instead of establishment and efficient management of one’s own property. Excess richness and power at certain periods of Russian history created obstacles for formation of self-identity of the Russian entrepreneurial class in general. The problem of formation and development of the Russian model of relations between business and government can be well understood through the analysis of particular cases by using the integrated cultural and historical approach. This approach involves the system method, i.e. viewing entrepreneurship as a part of a big institutional and socio-cultural system. The problem is being analyzed at the two levels, the level of the ‘reality’ and the level of the ‘actual practice’. The archaic form of government, the institution of support, defined the development of entrepreneurship. Formation of some kind of ‘incomplete property’ even of the major Russian entrepreneurs, dependence of economic agents on the government and government as the main access to resources significantly slow down the processes of social, economic and political development of the society.

Keywords: Russia, government, entrepreneurship, institutional trap, patrimonialism, political capitalism, government, property, culture, society.

DOI: 10.7256/2454-0757.2016.2.17219

Abstract: This article is dedicated to the examination of the modern bioethics from the perspective of its methodology and public practice. The author briefly describes the history of emergence of bioethics and gives characteristic to its current state. Initially, bioethics was forming as an area of knowledge tightly linked to the academic philosophy, philosophy of medicine and natural science, and in addition to that based on the practices of discussion. However, in the last two decades bioethics is substantially growing under the influence of new actors – socio-political and economic structures. The discussion processes become a dominant way of solution of the acute problems of biomedicine, being realized among broadest audience. The author illustrates how the socio-political procedure of deliberation becomes a methodology of the modern bioethics and supersedes its philosophical concept. At the same time, two modi of deliberation established within the socio-political sphere, are suggested for the interpretation of the processes in the modern bioethics: “democratic deliberation” and “authoritarian deliberation”. The author demonstrates what flaws are hidden in the “democratic deliberation” and the ideology of consensus, promoted in bioethics.

DOI: 10.7256/2454-0757.2016.2.67507

Keywords: bioetika, bioeticheskie problemy, konsensus, kazuistika, obshchestvennoe obsuzhdenie, obshchestvennaya politika, deliberativnaya demokratiya, avtoritarnaya deliberatsiya, eticheskie komitety

DOI: 10.7256/2454-0757.2014.3.10790

DOI: 10.7256/2454-0757.2014.3.64168

Abstract: Today society is the target of different social and humanitarian researches studying this or that aspect of social development. Meanwhile, science studies different types of societies and defines their special features and regular patters of functioning. The author of the present research article focuses o the cultural nature of the society and problems of socio-cultural determination of the social development. The main question of the article is ‘If there is a society, then what kind of society is it?’. The author offers the following answer to this question: this is the type of ‘culturally prepared’ society that is limited only to social functions and meanings. The systems approach to studying socio-cultural phenomena and processes allow to trace the relation between society and culture. The author of the article also describes different types of society and social development from the point of view of their ‘sociality’ and socio-cultural dynamics. The author stresses out that social determination cannot be the preferred direction of the development of societies. The main trend in their development should be connected with the processes of cultural dynamics. The main conclusion is that the modern reality forms the ‘culturally prepared’ type of society and the type of society that is being formed in the process of exchange of cultural meanings and codes between different generations of culture bearers.

Keywords: society, culture, multiculturalism, civil society, community, cultural dynamics socio-cultural processes, social studies of life, cultural system, social development.

DOI: 10.7256/2454-0757.2014.4.11339

DOI: 10.7256/2454-0757.2014.4.64225

Abstract: The purpose of the present research article is to provide a critical evaluation of John Rawls’ theory of justice. The first part of the article is devoted to the main tasks and goals set by John Rawls at the moment of him writing his main work as well as the description of John Rawls’ method of ‘reflective equilibrium’. The second part of the article is aimed at studying arguments used by Rawls when proving his principles of justice, from intuitive arguments to Ralws’ attempt to revive the social contract. The third part of the article is focused on criticizing weak points in Rawls’ theory. In his research the author uses the method called ‘constructive interpretation’ offered by Ronald Dworkin. The goal of this method is to present a subject under research from the best side in order to increase the efficiency of expected criticizing. The present article is devoted to the critical review of one of the most powerful theories of justice that have been created lately. Today this theory of justice is taken by the majority as common sense. The goal of the author is to prove that Rawls’ theory does not quite follow the principles that were developed based on that theory.

Keywords: justice, Rawls, social contract, reflective equilibrium, Dworkin, freedom, equality, principles, social inequality, natural inequality.

DOI: 10.7256/2454-0757.2016.7.18669

Abstract: The goal of this work is to determine the place of post-industrial society in evolution of the planetary socio-natural Universe from the position of the prospects for future development of humanity. According to the formational concept, the post-industrial society is a capitalist society at the stage of change of productive forces that are adequate for the era of classic capitalism. The replacement of the mechanical working tools by the objects and processes of nanolevel leads to the establishment of a qualitatively new technological way of production, which drastically changes the place and role of a modern human in nature and society, space and time. Because of nanotechnologies, a separate person becomes a factor that is able to change the evolution of planetary whole, and the society attains ability to ensure its limitless existence in space and time. However, the fundamental constants of capitalist society (private ownership of the means of production, trade and financial relations, surplus value as the goal of production, etc.) subject the use of nanotechnologies to the purpose for making profit, which questions their humanistic potential and justifies the escalation of global issues, provokes alienation and infantile existence of people, as well as limits the achievement of the ideals of the Modernity and Enlightenment. In light of the establishing of the new worldview paradigm and formation methodology, the future of humanity is seen not on the path of post-industrial modernization, but is associated with a fundamental transformation of social mode of production. Such vision of the future of post-industrial society targets social science towards searching the actual ways of humanistic orientation evolution of the planetary socio-natural whole.

Keywords: development, evolution, modernization, Postmodernism, Modernity, nanotechnology, society, people, crisis, Outlook

DOI: 10.7256/2454-0757.2016.7.68059

Keywords: development, evolution, modernization, Postmodernism, Modernity, nanotechnology, society, people, crisis, Outlook

DOI: 10.7256/2454-0757.2014.9.12773

DOI: 10.7256/2454-0757.2014.9.65490

Abstract: The subject of the present research founded by the Russian Foundation for Humanities (Project No. 14 – 03 - 00683a) is the new identity of young people from contemporary youth subcultures that explores forbidden urban spaces. This refers to the phenomenon of youth counterculture in the 1960th as the opposition to urban industrialism and to new generations of subcultures. The author studies the role of megalopolises in the formation of subcultures and the importance of the theories of post-industrial society for creating social utopia. Therefore, the subject under research is the transformation of the views of the ‘alternative culture’ and the meaning of the industrial and eschatological themes and anti-utopias for contemporary followers. Special attention is paid to such forms of exploring abandoned urban spaces as squatting, urban exploration movement and industrial subcultures. Since these are very complex and diversified phenomena, in order to study them it is necessary to use a wide range of research methods. This includes social-historical, descriptive and typological approaches as well as qualitative methods of social researches. The research is based on analyzing the main sources of ‘alternative culture’ from canonical works written by Theodore Roszak and Charles Reich to Internet resources and other self-representations of the contemporary representatives of subcultures. Theoretical base of the research includes concepts of the post-industrial society offered by Daniel Bell and Alvin Toffler and particular researches within the framework of ‘urban studies’ and urban sociology, Western and Russian researches on the youth sociology, counterculture and subcultures. Moreover, the activity approach and the closely connected theory of practices are also taken into account. The method of involved observation and interviews of the representatives of ‘urban exploration’ have been also used. This is an interdisciplinary research. It touches upon the phenomenon of urban abandonment and focuses on the exploration of ‘diminishing’ industrial cities by modern youth subcultures. The author of the article shows that these subcultures appeared as a result of urbanization processes, however, demonstrate a very negative attitude towards urbanization. In big industrial cities theorists of the youth counterculture create the evil image of technocracy. The uprise of technocracy at the end of the 1960th – beginning of the 70th coincided with creation of concepts of the transfer from the industrial society to the post-industrial society and growing popularity of social utopias. However, the following decades emptied mystical-chiliast expectations of the counterculture and the eschatology of the counterculture was filled with industrial topics which resulted in new models of youth identity. For the communities like urban exploration and industrial subcultures, this relates to the exploration, acquisition and re-encoding abandoned urban spaces which correlates to anti-utopianism and the concepts of the ‘ending’ of the industrial civilization.

Keywords: city, abandoned, youth, counterculture, subculture, urban exploration, urbanization, industrialization, identity, values.

DOI: 10.7256/2454-0757.2014.12.13272

DOI: 10.7256/2454-0757.2014.12.65970

Abstract: The article is devoted to the basic Russian social and philosophical concepts that demonstrate peculiarities and factors of conflictogenity of the Russian society. The authors of the article demonstrate that historical paradigms of the Russian social thought including conservatism, radicalism and liberalism offered different explanations of the phenomenon of conflictogenity of the Russian society based on studying its historical and cultural grounds and peculiarities of the Russian mentality. Special emphasis is made on determination of both general approaches of Russian philosophers to the analysis of political, socio-cultural and mental grounds of conflictogenity and social conflicts of the Russian society and description of original concepts and models of conflictogenity in liberalism, conservatism and radicalism. Historical-philosophical and dialectical approaches have proved to be especially important methods to be used in the analysis. The historical-philosophical method has allowed to define approaches that exist in the history of Russian social philosophy and the dialectical approach has given an opportunity to view conflictogenity not as an absolute givenness but a heterogeneous and constantly developing element of social reality. In their article Aleynikov and Osipov have also described differences between axiological grounds for Russian philosophical concepts of ‘non-conflict nature’ or conflictogenity of Russians and moral principles of preventing political conflicts. The authors of the article demonstrate that Russian philosophers introduced concepts regarding not only a specific form and content of national conflictogenity of Russians but also peculiarities of the Russian perception of conflict situations.

Keywords: conflictogenity, conflict, Russia, Russian society, Russian nation, Russian philosophy, liberalism, conservatism, radicalism, socialism.

DOI: 10.7256/2454-0757.2015.12.16603

Abstract: The subject of the article is the research of the process of developing new cultural policy which is a component of the transition period of Russian society from socialism to capitalism. The research reveals illustration and consequences of the transition period in policy, economy, and culture. The researcher observes general decline in the cultural level, bringing down of the high level of culture to the level of service sector and consumption, degradation of moral, aesthetic and legal environments in society. Social and economic context of developoing a new cultural policy is also analyzed in the article. The negative consequences of culture and art commercialization are given. The legal basis of cultural policy is shown. The basic models of cultural policy are described. The author of the article researches cultural policy in individual sectors of culture. The author also focuses on the analysis of cultural and business partnership. The methodology of the research is based on the systems approach that allows a comprehensive consideration of the object under study and on the comparative analysis of cultural policy of the post-Soviet Russia versus cultural policy of the previous Soviet period. The scientific novelty of the article is caused by the fact that, first of all, the author represents one of the first researches in that field in which the development of tje new cultural policy in the post-Soviet Russia is considered comprehensively and profoundly. The scientific novelty is also determined by the fact that the research is conducted in a wide international context considering and at the same time enriching accumulated theoretical groundwork in that field. The author of the article also provides an original and partially new definition of cultural policy. The researcher comes to the conclusion that so far the transition period has been causing more losses than benefits and that the efficiency of the cultural policy will depend on the attraction of new business entities. At the end of the article the author concludes that commercialization is the main threat for culture and art.

Keywords: transition period, culture, culture and state, constitution and culture, cultural policy, culture and economy, commercialization of culture, the subject of culture, legislation and culture, social partnership

DOI: 10.7256/2454-0757.2015.12.67261