Philosophy and Culture - rubric Hermeneutics

Abstract: The ruin of the tradition in the situation of religious pluralism may lead to the spiritual chaos in the Era of Aquarius. As the author of this article points out, in such a situation anthropological problems predefine the contents of philosophy and theology, the structures of co-existence of churches. The anthropological constants predefine the very field for the dialogue, and the philosophical anthropology becomes the necessary dimension of religious studies. That is why the anthropological religious studies may become one of the institutions, which guard and protect the person.

Abstract: The author describes the status of philosophic sciences among scientific disciplines in the Russian society. He points out the difficulty with which philosophy is struggling to be an independent discipline. The author also reveals what a spiritual philosophy is.

Abstract: Resume: hermeneutics is aimed at clarifying the miracle of understanding and the miracle of understanding is not the “secret” communication between souls but their sharing one meaning. What makes understanding possible? This is the main question of hermeneutics Understanding is always understanding the other.

Keywords: philosophy, understanding, germeneutics, philosophy, communication, knowledge, language, Hadamer, drafts of meanings, pre-understanding.

Abstract: Virtual anthropological way of thinking is typical both for culture beams and anthropologist. Based on that, the ethics of a field (ethnographic) research is being created. Empirical facts are organized by the genre. Philosophy gives an anthropologist the logic of hermeneutical means as well as the vector of humanitarian expertise.

Keywords: philosophy, constants, thoughtform, understanding, virtual world, theatrical effectiveness, topography, fact, anthropologist.

Abstract: Action provides not only physical but also metaphysical health. When human acts or moves, he raises his life activity to the level of vitality, i.e. unity with the Universe. Health ceremonies are aimed at increasing vitality. Embryological development perception and taboo make a contribution to it, too. As an example, the author tells about the fallen child’s tooth tradition which is, in fact, the long life spell. Abkhazian culture views long life as a consequence of afferent concentration of the Universe forces.

Keywords: philosophy, movement, health, vitality, embryology, taboo, child’s tooth, long life, numismatism, bioethics.

Abstract: On the basis of the contextual and semantic analysis of Ancient Greek words: eros, philia, agape (based on mythology, philosophy and Scripture the author makes the following conclusion: if we take into account that language practices were different at different epochs (classical Ancient World, late Hellenistic Greece, early Christianity) and in the first place those differences were related to knowledge, then a frequent supposition that there are different words denoting love in the Greek language is some kind of a semantic myth. There was no such a Greek language which would actually differentiate these terms. Copresence of these words, although they seem to be so much differentiated in their meaning, does not go beyond the frames of general dictionaries.

Keywords: philosophy, cultural studies, love, eros, phili, agape, Adar, semantics.

Abstract: The theme of the study is the phenomenon of understanding as a subject of hermeneutics. The article throws light on the reasons of articulation of understanding in Western philosophy of the 19th-20th century and views of our Russian philosophers such as Kireevsky, Fedorov, Rozanov, on this matter

Keywords: philosophy, hermeneutics, understanding, Neo-Kantianism, methodology of science, devotion and understanding, pre-determination and super understanding, conciliar nature of truth, living knowledge, man’s destination

Abstract: Etymological and semantic link between words containing the same root – herma, Hermes and hermeneutics, - allowed to form a position that hermeneutics is related to metaphysical facts, empirical experience (ratio) and life-death (death-revival) as ontological grounds for hermeneutic conceptions. The main aspect of the research is a look upon Hermes as trickster which metaphysical function is to mediate between the divine and human, macro cosmos and micro cosmos, life and death. Combining the two worlds Hermes suggests the border and the way to overcome this border.

Keywords: philosophy, hermeneutics, etymology, semantics, trickster, insight, ratio, Hermes, Apollo-Dionysus, Sisyphus

Abstract: The purpose of the article is to analyze the sources of the evil. It is confined only to magic practice. The author studies rich philosophical and anthropological materials and provides his own ethnographic data collected at the Caucasus, Middle Asia, central regions of Russia and abroad. Special attention is paid at the concepts of evil magic introduced by such scientists from Edward Tailor to Paul Ricceur. The purpose of the study is to conduct a hermeneutic analysis of the evil as a human existential. Hierarchy of philosophical and anthropological reconstruction allowed a shift from higher levels of structuring of a society to the basic levels of domestication of time where the sources of the fear, evil and magic aggression were revealed. As a result, the evil loses its stable ontological grounds and is viewed as a social and cultural reduction which arises when the resources are limited.

Keywords: philosophy, evil, the good, anthropology, thesaurus, creativity, anthropological ability, magic, time, sacral.

DOI: 10.7256/2454-0757.2019.9.30948

Abstract: This article methodically addresses the main features of hermeneutics of color. Its uniqueness is based on the subjectivity of perception of color by the cognizing subjects. Due to such “gap” in understanding, substantiated by the subjectivity of a viewer, emerges an aesthetic moment in perception of the visual. Interpretation is based on the analysis of the peculiarities of color texts, the so-called “atoms” of color reality (phenomenological generalization of the concept of “color”), and is accompanied by application of the obtained conclusions to the analysis of the language of painting. The understanding of color text is realized as correlation of the internal and external contexts. The first one includes the constant content, while the second incorporates all of the aspects that are justified by the situation and state of the viewer himself. The meaning of color texts is defined as a result of the “color conclusion”: received impression, created image. Viewer is endowed with the function of completion. In communication, the understanding of color text is based on the categories of color: linguistic (verbal) and basic (color). Within the framework of philosophy of the Other, becomes relevant the question of adequacy of conveying the “color meaning” from Self to Other. Such adequacy may vary and depend on the accepted rules of the language game (according to L. Wittgenstein). The language of painting is described in procedural aspect and exists in two forms: the language of painting as such (is based on differentiation of painter’s activity into inseparable components), and the metalanguage, structured within the mind of painter or viewer based on the creation of images. The author presents the analysis of interpretation process of paintings in the context of the language of painting, as well as within the framework of metalanguage.

Keywords: hermeneutic circle, intentionality, abstraction of colour, colour naming, categorization of colour, text of colour, reality, expectation and intuition, wholeness, sense

Abstract: The article considers the ontological grounds of communication through music from the point of view of time and space continuum as a social and cultural phenomenon and archetype of corporeity as a hidden gesture and plastic nature of musical phenomenon

Keywords: cultural studies, space, time, communication through music, hermeneutics, archetype, corporeity, ornamented, plasticization, meaning, understanding, model, ceremony of a concert, context

Abstract: Starting from the anal stage described by Sigmund Freud the author gives philosophical and anthropological grounds for his theory of existence of the lower part of the body. The author studies mythological materials from the point of view of age stages. The author shows that despite a great variety of ceremonies and religious faiths humanity has always shown consistency in his attention towards defecation and urination. All modern civilizations clearly show it.

Keywords: philosophy, defecation, urination, fecal anxiety, ceremonies, metacorporeity, creativity, intentionality, thoughtimage, self-identification.

DOI: 10.7256/2454-0757.2013.2.62329

Abstract: The author of the article analyzes the philosophical meaning of a Caucasian myth about a hunter living with the huntress. To understand the meaning of this myth, the author studies myths of the ancient Egypt, Rome as well as modern customs and beliefs. Based on this analysis, the author describes the origin of the game of dice. Numerological reduction of a woman to one is typical for the thought lying in the basis of mathematical deduction. Zero and addition are more typical for later patriarchal traditions.

Keywords: philosophy, Caucasian myth, huntress, numerology, life span, internal body, knowledge, prognosis, game of dice, dactylonomy, magic.

DOI: 10.7256/2454-0757.2015.2.13307

Abstract: In her article Pilyugina analyzes the grounds and the development of interpretation methods during ancient times. Interpretation started to develop at the earliest stage of ancient philosophy because it was closely connected with cognition and understanding. As a condition for genuine understanding, interpretation can be quite successful because it applies certain methods and techniques. The research objective is to answer the question about sources of interpretatio and development of interpretative methodology. The problem of interpetation is being viewed in terms of the development of humanitarian branches of science and philosophy. The research is based on the methodology of the historical and philosophical analysis. The author has also applied the hermeneutical method as the main approach to the analysis of interpretation. The nature of the research topic has also required to apply the multidisciplinary approach and involve researches on history of philosophy, hermeneutics, argumentation theory and philology. The author shows that this topic is very important for practical philosophy and development of this topic is caused by social and cultural factors. In its turn, the development of the problem of interpretation created particular branches of knowledge. With time those branches became independent sciences and disciplines. Most of interpretative methods and techniques started to develop in the ancient times and are successfully used today.

Keywords: cognition, understanding, interpretation, knowledge, method, meaning, language, name, myth, argumentation

DOI: 10.7256/2454-0757.2015.2.66250

Keywords: cognition, understanding, interpretation, knowledge, method, meaning, language, name, myth, argumentation

DOI: 10.7256/2454-0757.2014.3.10689

DOI: 10.7256/2454-0757.2014.3.64171

Abstract: The author of the article describes the process of anthropocenosis by the means of national culture in order to define the role of the two forms of primordial knowledge, locus knowledge and itinerary knowledge. Special attention is paid to the phenomenon of the name (identity). It turns out that this phenomenon lies in the basis of both the archaic thinking and modern scientific thinking. A particular case of naming is silence. Silence characterizes national culture more than speaking. Silence is associated with a special type of primordial knowledge that structures the process of anthropocenosis. Research methodology includes the hermeneutic method that involves exposition (fixation – description), understanding and interpretation and finally, explanation (in our case, determination of anthropocenosis). Modern humanitarian theory usually involves analysis of a macro community like state institution, civilization and etc. It does not touch upon the intimate human world while the author of the present article uses it as the main focus of hermeneutic analysis. At the end of the article the author makes quite an unexpected conclusion: the structure of the archaic knowledge is identical to the modern structure of science.

Keywords: anthropocenosis, national culture, knowledge, archaic character, community of practice, the Golden Age, ethnos, customs, conscience, name (identity).

DOI: 10.7256/2454-0757.2015.3.13905

Abstract: The research subject is the preferences in clothes of a rebellious person. According to the author, a protesting person does not only tend to political opposition and active oppositional activity. Such a person also demonstrates his right to have an alternative opinion when choosing clothes and often challenges social standards. The author of the present article tries to find out whether there is a correlation between a protesting activity conducted by a citizen and his preferences in clothes. According to the author, clothes help such a person to demnstrate a protesting political writing and create a protesting political text. To the author's opinion, the best research method here is the method of political hermeneutics that allows to interpret political texts. The novelty of the research is caused by the fact that man's opposing tendencies can be demonstated in his clothes. Clothes convey protesting political messages. The results of the analysis show that protests have been aestheticized at all times and in all cultures.

Keywords: power, protest, exterior level of a protest, political text, political writing, political discourse, esthetics of a protest, rebellious person, cothes , dandy

DOI: 10.7256/2454-0757.2015.3.66387

Keywords: power, protest, exterior level of a protest, political text, political writing, political discourse, esthetics of a protest, rebellious person, cothes, dandy

DOI: 10.7256/2454-0757.2013.5.62668

Abstract: The article departs from the usual treatment of hermeneutics as applied to the written form and instead considers it in application to the spoken word of the popular culture. The hermeneutic tool used preferentially is the notion of genotext introduced by Julia Kristeva on the basis of Russian semiotics. The article shows the significance of the ideas put forward by Mikhail Bakhtin and Vladimir Bibler. The general definition of culture is borrowed from the works of Pavel Gurevich. The liberation of the genotext from the shell of the phenotext exposed the role of cultural sacrality and the titanic component in the self-definition of the human being. Those are the starting points of the behavioral traits in long-lived populations. The author considers the example of the Abkhaz culture which he had studied for many years.

Keywords: philosophy, hermeneutics, genotext, myth, kinesics, legs, chthonism, Titans, long-lived people, Abkhaz.

DOI: 10.7256/2454-0757.2014.7.12186

DOI: 10.7256/2454-0757.2014.7.65293

Abstract: The author of the present research article addresses to the philosophical concept of the lifeworld and offers a philosophical and anthropological interpretation of that concept. First of all, the author provides a brief review of various interpretations of the concept of the lifeworld in order to show different aspects thereto. The main attention is paid to the concept of the lifeworld offered by Jurgen Habermas. The concept of the lifeworld was one of the key element of the social-philosophical and social-ethical theory of the German philosopher and closely related to the criticism of technocraticism and ‘scientification’ of civilization. The main purpose of the article is, firstly, to show modern transformations of the concept of the lifeworld taking into account the expansion of biotechnologies and, secondly, to show how mediator’s function of the lifeworld may intensify anthropological risks of constructivist utopias of the 21st century. In the present research the author has mostly used the interpretation method as well as general scientific research methods such as analysis and synthesis. When analyzing social and philosophical aspects, the author applied the dialectic approach and humanitarian criticism. The scientific novelty of the article is in appealing to Jurgen Habermas whose ideas have been understudied by Russian humanities. According to the author, theoretical views of that German philosopher on the lifeworld have the heuristic potential for the solution of philosophical and anthropological issues. Based on that assumption, the researcher makes an attempt to analyze functions of the lifeworld in the modern socio-cultural environment.

Keywords: lifeworld, everyday life, utopia, constructivism, system, biotechnologies, social actors, Jurgen Habermas, public mind, science and technology.

DOI: 10.7256/2454-0757.2016.9.16774

Abstract: The goal of this article is to demonstrate the relevance of Michel Foucault’s thinking in interpretation of the epistemological questions, which lately have become the subject of discussion, and namely the question on the processes of differentiation of knowledge and its grounds. Turning to the analysis of Foucault’s philosophy for the purpose of clarification of the aforementioned issue, the authors determine the specific dialectics that is based upon the notion of “other spaces”, within the framework of which the foundation can be established only by means of constitutive exception of its negative polis. At the same time, the authors raise the question posed in the beginning of Edmund Husserl’s Crisis: is it possible that the origin of such foundations is nothing except pure coincidence? The authors attempt to follow the stages of development of the main notions of Foucault’s philosophy in his early works. The conclusion is made that the dialectic definition of “other spaces” serves as a guide of epistemological analysis, with the help of which we can ascertain the question about the origins of humanitarian sciences. Based on interpretation of the problem of constitution of science, the link between Foucault and the late Husserl is being established.

Keywords: Dialectical relation, Apriorism , Ontogenesis of knowledge, Foundations of sciences, Of Other Spaces, Philosophy of the limit, Historical a priori, Gesture of exception, Critical epistemology, Episteme

DOI: 10.7256/2454-0757.2016.9.68208

Abstract: The subject of the research is the logical-philosophical concept, which consists in the development of antinomian monodualism, as the logical-philosophical aspect. It can also be viewed as the development of ideas by the English-speaking researchers of anekantavada of the XX century. Its epistemological and anthropological prerequisites are present Ferdinand Schiller's humanism. The main conclusion of the study lies in the fact that the logical-philosophical ideas of S. L. Frank brought to life in the antinomian monodualism, can be in demand in the modern period, as well as contribute into the creation of epistemology of the contemporary direction of philosophy - neurophilosophy. At the same time, the examined concept incorporates in its development all related to it ideas. The scientific novelty consists in the fact that for the first time, although as a sketch, the antinomian monodualism as a logical-philosophical concept is substantiated by the modern neurophilosophical ontological basis. The experience of creation of the logical-philosophical additional structure for neurophilosophy also took place. In addition to that, the sketch for development of the studied concept within the framework of educational and worldviews functions of philosophy for training the non-extreme outlook.

Keywords: Hesychasm, Logical-philosophical, Humanism of Ferdinand Schiller, Anekantavada, Fanaticism, Antinomian monodualism, Neurophilosophy, P. Churchland, S. L. Frank, Fernidand Schiller

DOI: 10.7256/2454-0757.2014.9.12433

DOI: 10.7256/2454-0757.2014.9.65495

Abstract: The author of the article analyzes works of a philosopher Martin Heidegger related to Friedrich Holderlin. The subject under research is Heidegger’s interpretation of Holderlin’s poem ‘Germanien’. Interpreting a particular wok of Holderlin, Heidegger looked for new ways to interpret poetical works in general. The poetic content of poetry and the difference between the poetic and non-poetic are being viewed through the phenomenological reduction of traditional interpretation of poems. The original method of phenomenological hermeneutics and the new conceptual framework introduced by Heidegger may be of interest to both philosophers and philologers. The problems of the fundamental ontology Heidegger was focused on when writing his book ‘Being and Time’ remained important for him even when he researched the language and art issues. Heidegger studied ontological structures of poetry. Holderlin’s poetry which discovered the Being of God declared the historical being of nation. The author of the article carries out the historical and philosophical analysis of Heidegger’s texts focusing on the problems of the hermeneutics of poetry raised by the philosopher. However, the author does not only reveal Heidegger’s statements. Applying her own philosophical intuition to the analysis of the problems raised by Heidegger, the author offers a new philosophical vision based on the extended ideas of Heidegger. The author also focuses on when and why Heidegger chose to study Holderlin for the purpose of understanding the essence of poetry and discovering Holderin’s poetic space. Heidegger managed to enter Holderlin’s ‘poetic space’ and recognized the divine style in his poetry. Heidegger’s thoughts on Holderin’s poetry in particular and poetry in general were a new dawn in the history of philosophy.

Keywords: Martin Heidegger, Friedrich Holderlin, poem ‘Germanien’(‘Germany’), poetic space, being of a nation, being of a poet, oscillating contour, language of being, God’s nod, phenomenological hermeneutics.

DOI: 10.7256/2454-0757.2013.10.63410

Abstract: The article is devoted to ontological status of non-existence in cultural and philosophical projection of anthropological ontohermeneutics. The author suggests to view non-existence as a context for understanding the phenomenon of meaning which allows to come to a level of ‘boundary’ conditions for the human meaning-making process. Non-existence is represented as the content of the boundary experience where the meaning is made. According to the author, ontohermeneutic approach to existence focusing on cultural existence of human allows to better understand the essence and purpose of culture and explain peculiarities of the meaning-making process. Non-existence is shown as the measure against which the energy of the meaning existence is created. This existence is initially pluralistic and contains points of inner integration described as the non-existence inside the meaning. Therefore, this refers not only to non-existence as absolute absence of meaning and vacuum but also to emptiness as a lack of understanding the influence of the other meaning perceived as a total absence of ‘our’ or ‘my’ meaning. According to the author, tolerance towards different cultural meanings within cultural communication would be the way out of the situation.

Keywords: ontology, meontology, meaning, non-existence, synergetics, dialogics of culture, nonsense, anthropology, human, understanding.

DOI: 10.7256/2454-0757.2015.9.14163

Abstract: The paper is focused on P. Ricoeur's interpretation of the personal narrative self-identity problem developed within the framework of his hermeneutical phenomenology and his understanding of the unity of identity and selfhood in the process of creating a reflexive image of 'Self' that appeared in the dialogue with analytical philosophy. Based on that, the authors of the article discuss particular features of Ricoeur's polemics with different versions of the objectivist approaches to personality and personality expression in language acts, actor and action from the point of view of semantics and pragmatics that were created within the framework of analytic philosophy and in fact led to some kind of liquidation of 'Self' desite the unique unity and timely existence of Self. In their research the authors have applied the hermeneutical strategy to interpreting the theme as well as a wide range of methods that are used in historical and philosophical analysis. The novelty of the research is caused, first and foremost, by the fact that the authors demonstrate peculiarities of the constructive dialogue that was established by Ricoeur with the leading representatives of contemporary analytical philosophy in the process of creating his own personal narrative self-identity doctrine. The program of the synthesis of analytical philosophy and hermeneutics offered by Ricoeur may be evaluated as a sufficiently valid and realizable approach when applied to the problem of the narrative identity as the expression of personal life unity.

Keywords: narrative identity, semantics, pragmatics, event, action, selfhood, identity, personality, personalism, hermeneutics

DOI: 10.7256/2454-0757.2015.9.67051

Keywords: personality, identity, Self, selfhood, action, event, pragmatics, semantics, personalism, narrative identity, hermeneutics

DOI: 10.7256/2454-0757.2016.11.17495

Abstract: The subject of this research is the objective-energy structure of consciousness. The goal of this work is the formulation of the mechanism of determination of the onto-gnoseological grounds of objective consciousness as the means of constructive overcoming of the distorted forms of “Self” in human existence. The establishment of the integral structure of consciousness will provide an opportunity of conducting a gnoseological and ontological analysis of the objective determinism of culture and consciousness. It is defined that the formation of the holistic core of identity of the human Self must be built on the basis of reflection that considers context, includes a maximally ideal and distracted from the usual perception thinking. The identity suggest overcoming the “attraction of subject” and simultaneous establishment of the Self upon it as the permanent presence and highest order (identity of the fourth order). The result of this research consists in revelation of the forms of the distorted objective core of identity of the human Self as the condition for formation of the illusionary consciousness. The author formulates the model of the concept of the objectively determined existence, which is applied in philosophical, culturological, socio-philosophical, and other humanitarian studies for the analysis of cultural processes, as well as processes emerging in transformation of the objective identity of the human Self.

Keywords: Intentionality, Reflection, Illusion, Existence, Consciousness, Culture, Hermeneutic circle, Identity, Self, Thingness

DOI: 10.7256/2454-0757.2014.11.13142

DOI: 10.7256/2454-0757.2014.11.65727

Abstract: If we want to have an authentic perception of the sacral Biblical writing, first we need to understand the nature of parable as a special literary genre that has a moral-didactic meaning and tempts a listener or a reader to understand the ‘out-of-limit’ reality that can be reached in the eschatological perspective declared by a prophet. For the majority of both past and contemporary researchers of the Evangelical sacral writing, the parable is still a mystery, enigma that cannot be interpreted in a traditional way. From the point of view of a scientifically based methodological approach, all concepts need the clearest definition. Based on works of Russian and foreign researchers, the author of the present article offers the best definition of ‘parable’. The definition offered by the author reveals the essential nature of this important Biblical term and gives a key to understanding the parable from the point of view of religious ontology, ethics, axiology and religious studies. In this research the author uses a scientific approach to studying the phenomenon of Evangelical parable. The author has also used comparative-linguistic, analytical, historical-cultural, ethic-psychological, hermeneutic and exegetical methods. Analysis of the logic-dialectical and ethic-didactic aspects, main functional, essential features and ethical-axiological and psychological functions of the parable is very important for the world view, philosophical, religious and methodological spheres. A series of articles devoted to the phenomenon of the parable is based on the lectures ‘Parables in world religions: comparative analysis of sources’ given by the author at the department of philosophy of religion and religious studies, philosophical faculty of Lomonosov Moscow State University.

Keywords: parable, metaphor, allegory, the New Testament, Christianity, hermeneutics, exegetics, level of perception, comparative linguistics, parabole.

DOI: 10.7256/2454-0757.2014.12.10816

DOI: 10.7256/2454-0757.2014.12.65975

Abstract: The present article illustrates universalism of neo-acmeism as a philosophical and cultural paradigm and phenomenon of the Russian ‘Renaissance’ in comparison to the traditional (classical) acmeism and culture of the European Renaissance. In her article Fetisova describes the foundation of neo-acmeism, its ‘semantic poetics’ and distinctive mythology of neo-acmeism that creates the poetic model of the world. The researcher also analyzes the variety of searches that have established grounds for new discoveries in philosophy and Russian and world literature. Fetisova examines the space-time continuum and its coordinates. Art space and time are viewed as a particular esthetic and verbal phenomenon that contributed to the consolidation of the Russian society in post-Soviet times. Fetisova also performs the comparative analysis of Dante’s ‘The Divine Comedy’ and neo-acmemism poetry. In order to interpret neo-acmeism as a cultural paradigm, the researcher has focused on peculiar functioning of neo-acmeism compared to traditional acmeism. According to the author, philosophical methodology serves as the key to understanding internal structures of neo-acmeism paradigm. The phenomenon under review has stable and harmonized features which, in their turn, constitute the mental code of the Russian culture. That mental code has become the axiological constantan of the Russian culture and made the Russian culture unique. The research strategy used by the author has allowed to reconstruct that mental code in a new historical environment. The comparative analysis was focused on expressive means and style of Dante, from literary techniques, general phrases, quotations to the similarities between the concept of acmeism presented in Dante’s ‘The Divine Comedy’ and neo-acmeism poetry.