Problem of classification of the professional philosophers: elitological model

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Abstract: Currently, philosophy is experiencing a problem of classification of the professional philosophers according to certain criteria – conceptual and methodological (V. Tatarkevich, V. N. Sagatovsky), as well as by the degree of the scale of their works and historical impact (K. Jaspers, R. Collins).  This approach of classification could be called “elitological”, in the foundation of which lies recognition of justice and objectiveness of the principle of social and professional inequality. Due to the fact that the creative work of philosophers is distinguished by the depth, scale, and impact, thus in the author’s opinion, a question of the internal hierarchy and its criteria among the professional philosophers themselves, remains legitimate and relevant. Such models, as presented in the article, to a certain extent classify and range the professional philosophers by creating a peculiar hierarchy that is based on the subjective historico-philosophical evaluation of their “supremacy” and achievements. However, there are very few models of such classification because of its excessive subjectivity, therefore the author proposes a possible elitological model for classification of the professional philosophers, which can be divided into five categories (groups) – “A”, “B”, “C”, “D”, and “E”. This model is founded on the contemporary specificity of the philosophical activity and ranges the philosophers by: the most accomplished, original, and systemic (group “A”); the philosophers of the second echelon, the less original and demanded (“B”); the philosophers of the university elites (“D”); and the mass group of the narrow-oriented philosophers-experts (“E”). The article also analyzes the further prospects of discussion and implementation of the professional ranging among the professional philosophers.