Pedagogy and education - rubric Spiritual and moral search

Abstract: The object of study - the pedagogical facilities of the patristic doctrine of virtues (restraint, compassion, chastity, lenity, joy, fortitude, humility and love) as an axiological system of values of spiritual and moral education, rising to the national cultural heritage, especially the Orthodox one. The study is particularly relevant for today as concepts of good and evil are crumbling; human culture is stated to have no reliable methods of distinguishing vice from dignity, veracity from lies, beauty from disgrace. The methodology of the research is based on the generalization of the practical experience of the formation of mentioned virtues by the methods of the modern Saint Paisius. The scientific novelty of the research is due to the analysis of the results of the unique remote training course "Factory of good thoughts", which was attended by 162 students of Russian universities. The course is developed by the group of lecturers, candidates and graduate students of the Center for additional education of the Moscow Theological Academy, St. Tikhon's Orthodox University for the Humanities, Moscow state pedagogical University. The conclusion can be drawn, that reflection, organized as part of the course with the help of Diaries of good thoughts, represents an important tool of self-knowledge, capable of activating the process of spiritual and moral cultivation of participants of the program.

Keywords: chastity, good thoughts, traditional values, passions, virtues, spiritual and moral education, joy, the image of God, repentance, perfection

Abstract: The author of the article talks about the loss of moral and religious values in a modern society, influence of Christianity on the moral nature of human. The author also explains the meaning of human sufferings from the religious point of view and describes the relations between Church and state.

Keywords: pedagogy, religion, suffering, Christianity, Orthodox, sin, justice, love, state institution, church.

DOI: 10.7256/2454-0676.2024.2.70286

Abstract: The article is devoted to the consideration of issues of educational work with parents and its importance in the formation of value orientations and morality in modern children. In the context of studying the scientific literature of Russian scientists, the author concludes that this problem is relevant and requires further research. The highlighted methodological approaches – systemic, axiological, and familistic – contribute to the disclosure of the scientific nature of the research. The purpose of the study is to identify the importance of pedagogical support for educational work with the family in the context of the formation of moral values of children at the present stage of development of Russian society and the state. The author's understanding of the essence of the definition of "pedagogical enlightenment" is revealed, its essence and significance in the upbringing of spiritual and moral values of modern children are determined. The article highlights the pedagogical features of pedagogical education, manifested at different stages of family development in matters of education: educational (propaedeutic) work with future parents to educate children the moral values, educational pedagogical work with parents raising children of preschool, junior, middle and senior school age. Traditional and innovative forms of educational work in different periods of child development in the family are proposed. The difficulties of educational work with the family are highlighted, consisting in the slow process of developing parental literacy and competence, in the absence of uniform rules for raising children in the family, in the absence of clear mechanisms for interaction between parents and social institutions, in the search for effective forms of cooperation, in the absence of a single model of educational work with the family, in insufficient pedagogical education of parents in the mass media. The material under study allows us to conclude that educational and educational work will be successful if all social institutions are engaged in this activity, which will increase the pedagogical activity of parents, raise the status of family and parenthood, as well as the competence of teachers in organizing educational activities with the family and the development of spiritual and moral values of children.

Keywords: the younger generation, pedagogical education, spiritual and moral values, parents, children, family, educational work, childhood, personality formation, personality

DOI: 10.7256/2454-0676.2017.1.21477

Abstract: The article deals with the phenomenon of voluntary parents’ associations or so-called family centers and clubs with different ideological grounds that have been created in Russia in recent decades. The authors state that the appearance of such organizations is caused by the attempt to overcome a protracted crisis affecting the modern family. The authors focus on the following family centers: Family center “Rozhdestvo”(Christmas) (Moscow) functioning as a secular organization and the Orthodox family center “Zerno Very” (The Seed of Faith) (Krasnodar) which exists as part of the Russian Orthodox Church. Based on the statement of the universal spiritual crisis of the modern family and its importance for Russian society in a number of recent educational researches, the authors carry out their analysis of the family centers and what they have to offer for overcoming the crises of parenthood. The authors of the article describe the structure and activities of family centers and conclude that based on the Orthodox spiritual and moral traditions, such centers play an important role and have a great pedagogical potential in the spiritual healing and strengthening of the modern family. Thus, educational systems of such centers are relevant and effective and require further research and methodological justification.

Keywords: culture of parenting, parents' associations, parenthood initiative, educational potential, Orthodox family centers, strengthening of the modern family, spiritual health of the family, spiritual crisis of the family, educational system, revival of family traditions

Abstract: The author of the article studies the theory of political myths and the concept of freedom in Ernst Cassirer’s (1874-1945) philosophy. Cassirer believed that only symbolic culture could help to reveal the true nature of human and his ability not only to create the greatest cultural monuments but also to construct political myths. Ernst Cassirer’s work‘The Myth of the State’ contains his thoughts on dangers awaiting human culture. Cassirer assumed that it was not enough just to describe and analyze the ‘normal’ functioning, success and achievements of culture. To his opinion, it is also very important to explain cultural ‘gaps’ and ‘failures’ as well as ‘dark periods’ in human history.

Keywords: pedagogy, myth, symbol, freedom, politics, state institution, fascism, totalitarianism, culture, human.

DOI: 10.7256/2454-0676.2017.4.24545

Abstract: The subject of this research is the teaching potential of patristic tradition to teach the virtue of chastity and application of this tradition by modern families. The rationale of the topic is caused by the acute need to fortify the institution of the family against the background of Russia's demographic crisis, adoption of The Character Education Development Strategy in the Russian Federation 2015, and enduring values of Christian virtues that was often identified with morality. Today the system of Christian values may become the ground for spiritual and moral education of the younger generation in Russia. The methodology of the research is based on theoretical analysis of patristic, pedagogical and philosophical literature, and summary of the practical experience and interviews prepared by a group of journalists guided by the author of the research and published in the Pokrov Journal. The scientific novelty of the research is caused by the fact that the author analyzes 20 major interviews when respondents speak of pedagogical methods of family moral education in this day and age. The conclusions of the research are the following: families that use patristic traditions of teaching virtues are stable, full, with many children (4.3 children per family at average). Just to compare, the total birth-rate is approximately 1.7 children per one child-bearing aged woman in Russia. 85% of these women have a successful career despite the fact that they have many children. It is not surprising though. John of the Ladder says that chastity is not only the purity of one's soul and body but also holistic view on the world.

Keywords: popular pedagogy, wisdom, upbringing, patristic tradition, orthodox family, spiritual and moral culture, purity, virtue of chastity, modern education, holistic view

Abstract: the title of this article gives a name for a complex of esthetical conceptions of art, his role in social life, peculiarities connected with the perception of the world and social conscious which were created within Marxist and non- Marxist philosophy. The author tries to show us that the interest in this complex of esthetical conceptions is rather lost nowadays. This article is an attempt to describe the basic concepts of esthetics based on Marx’s philosophy.

Keywords: esthetics, literature, politics, system, the beautiful, process of creation, philosophy, reality, esthetical form.

Abstract: The article is devoted to the formation and development of the ‘Russian idea’. Today, when Russia is trying to find its own way of development, it is difficult to overestimate the importance our national spiritual legacy. The concept of the Russian idea was developed and introduced by V. S. Soloviev in 1887–1888. In 1888, Paris, Soloviev made his speech ‘Russian idea’ during which he spoke of the ‘role of Russia in the world history’ as an intermediate in building a spiritual bond between the West and the East. Having appeared in 1921 Eurasianism movement continued to develop the concept of the Russian idea even further: as an expression of original Russian nation, a healthy spirit opposing to the decaying traditions of the Western Europe. By adopting a traditional idea of the Russian intelligentsia about the relation and opposition between the Slavophilism and Westernism in Russian history, Eurosianism followers tried to turn their philosophical conceptions into an ideology.

Keywords: pedagogy, Rome, idea, nationalism, spirituality, eurasianism, Slavophilism, Westernism, nation, Germany.

Abstract: The article provides a brief summary of new and contemporary foreign scientific literature devoted to the idea of freedom and liberalism in Western philosophy. The author considers English and German sources majority of which have never been read by the Russian audience. The purpose of this review is to describe the main approaches and methods used by Western researchers in interpretation of such a basic category of human existence as the freedom.

Keywords: teaching, freedom, liberalism, philosophy, human, society, state institution, Germany, England, USA.

DOI: 10.7256/2454-0676.2013.1.62556

Abstract: Within the system of education, higher education occupies a special position due to the fact that it completes the forming of a person. Unlike middle and high school, higher education does not only give knowledge of a higher level, and builds bridges into the wide world of academic science, but it also provides the foundation for realization of the person’s creativity.

Keywords: pedagogy, upbringing, spirituality, education, world outlook, human subjectivity, tradition, humanization, humanitarization, spiritual poverty.

DOI: 10.7256/2454-0676.2017.3.23334

Abstract: In this article Bleikh analyzes the role of Islam and the North Caucasus ethno-pedagogy in the education of children based on the analysis of little-known materials. It is proved that a key component of North Caucasus folk pedagogy is Islam which has rich educational potential and has allowed the mountain people to survive all the hardships and bad weather. The main focus is made on the theoretical and practical significance of the research which is caused by the lack of specific studies on the subject, lack of attention to the use of the family and the school of folk traditions and achievements of the Muslim ethno-pedagogy. The methodological basis of the research consists of the civilizational approach that requires extensive use of the comparative method. When considering specifics of the development of education among Muslims of the North Caucasus region the researcher has used comparative analysis and content analysis of texts. The conclusion is that the ideas and practices inherent in Islam were and still are advanced and progressive. They were reflected in the ethno-pedagogy of peoples of the North Caucasus which with its own methodology (nature, purpose, methods, technologies of education), and for many centuries it has been reflecting the philosophy of educational activities and has led to positive results in the development of the perfect personality. This duo demonstrates the high pedagogical culture of the Muslim peoples, thus confirming the theory that the current pedagogy can successfully meet educational objectives guided by the ideas of folk pedagogy.

Keywords: ethnic identity, values, Muslim culture, pedagogical potential, character education, mountain peoples, ethno-pedagogy, Islam, North Caucasus, national mentality

DOI: 10.7256/2454-0676.2018.1.25467

Abstract: The subject of this research is the ethnopedagogical potential of traditional rituals of the Adygs. The authors of the article prove the importance of reviewing the ethnopegagotical principles within families, small groups and major communities due to the problems that are now arising in contemporary education. Today's education has become more like a service industry which considerably decreases the influence thereof on moral development of students. This makes internal reserves of culture to put on mechanisms that are capable of opposing to entropy processes. One of such principles implies reviewing the ethnopegagogical education principles that are most brightly expressed in traditional rituals. For the purpose described above, the authors of the article analyze the ancient 'chapshch' ritual exercised by the Adygs. This ritual is performed at the bed of a seriously ill or wounded patient. The methodology of the research is based on the interdisciplinary approach that involved analysis of ethnographical data, diachronic method of cultural research, semiotics and social and philosophical analytics. As a conclusion of the research, the authors make an assumption that in the history of the ethnos development, the chapshch ritual had all essential features of a socio-cultural institution, one of such features being the capacity to develop certain standards and patterns of social interaction. The results of the research demonstrate that chapshch served as an ethnopedagogical mechanism of efficient socialization of a young generation and integration thereof into the socio-cultural environment. In the course of the ritual, future adult relations of children and youth developed providing a great range of interaction patterns.

Keywords: chapshch ritual, ritual of the Adygs, traditional culture, Adygs, ethnopedagogy, spirituality, education as a service, modern education, laughter culture, broadcast of ethnocultural values

DOI: 10.7256/2454-0676.2020.2.31762

Abstract: The subject of this research is the traditional moral value and virtue – temperance (self-restraint), which is examined in this research as the foundation of moral culture in Orthodox pedagogy. This topic is relevant in the modern era of post-modernism, where perceptions of good and evil are being diluted, forming a eudaimonic type of culture (from the Greek: εὐδαιμονία [eu̯dai̯moníaː] meaning happiness), striving for indulgence and consumption. Its fruits are often the extreme forms of excess and various types of addictions, which destroy the health and lives of young generation. Eudaimonic type of culture is counterpoised by soteriological (from the Greek: σωτηρία sōtēria meaning salvation), based on the idea of salvation of human soul, dominant of eternal moral values and virtues, and their priority over material values. The novelty of this research consists in the practically oriented nature of lessons, aimed at growing in virtues of children and their parents, as well as determination of diagnostic tools and levels of achievement of the virtue of temperance among the course participants. Based on the monitoring of the program (October – November of 2019, with participation of 65 school students and 17 parents), a conclusion is made on the high level of correlation between temperance of the Sunday school students and their parents, and direct impact of parental example upon formation of moral culture in a child.

Keywords: good example, addition, parents, good thoughts, traditional values, abstinence, virtue, moral, virtual world, moral culture

DOI: 10.7256/2454-0676.2014.1.12254

DOI: 10.7256/2454-0676.2014.1.65202

Abstract: Quite a number of works by Russian authors is devoted to the ideological gap between French ‘New Philosophers’ and ‘New Right’. Significant attention is paid to the description of the established polar positions in the spheres of the philosophy of history, culture, science and technology. The author of the article analyzes sharp political discrepancies typical for French philosophers who have chosen to follow different ideologies. The author underlines the orientation of historical and philosophical excursuses undertaken by the researchers to describe the problem of human in terms of the aforesaid topic and in the aforesaid spheres. Meanwhile the author of the present article suggests that the anthropological theme gives a better idea of the philosophical confrontation between these two directions of the social thought of the modern West. To a certain extent it is the fundamental idea for evaluation of ideological discussions, spiritual innovations and overall evolution of today’s French philosophy. The author of the article uses the historical method that allows to cover the topic in terms of the development of modern French philosophy. The author also bases his research on the methods of philosophical anthropology for analyzing the theories of human. The novelty of the research is in the analysis of disagreements that are typical for the two different approaches to the anthropological theme in French philosophy. The author’s general purpose is to outline nettlesome problems of modern philosophy and topical issues of the philosophical theory of human behind the polemics between the New Philosophers and New Right.

Keywords: philosophy, psychology, human, philosophical anthropology, personalism, humanity, personality, world view, position, ‘man without personality’.

DOI: 10.7256/2454-0676.2017.1.21813

Abstract: The article is devoted to the comparison of the philosophical principles of morality with the principles of the Orthodox pedagogy. The author believes that such a comparison is necessary to search for new solutions to overcome the contemporary moral crisis. Most forms of philosophical and religious thought of both Western and Eastern traditions are derived from the metaphysical revolution of consciousness that occurred in the "Axial Age". This era has created a well-known to us semantic principles, namely, idealism, altruism and immortality. These principles form the limiting coordinates of consciousness that is based on faith. The author uses as the method of comparison of philosophical and anthropological principles and religious and philosophical ideas of the Orthodox pedagogy. He showed an organic relationship between them which stems from a common base "of the revolution of the transcendent." As a result of the study, the following results have been obtained. Firstly, the author has provided arguments in support of the allegations of the source of the metaphysical foundation of morality, including the principles of idealism, altruism and immortality. Secondly, he has demonstrated that the same principles form the foundation of the basic ideas of the Orthodox pedagogy such as participation of the superior world in human development, domination of the spiritual beginning in humans, outstanding of moral and spiritual education in relation to rational and information education, awakening of tender conscience and awareness of one's sins as the concept of the evil and the good, ability to fight against evil thoughts and intentions, learning to love and the principle of the integral personality.

Keywords: resistance to evil, transcendent revolution, altruism, immortality, idealism, orthodox teaching, crisis of morality, axial age, Gospel love, total personality principle

DOI: 10.7256/2454-0676.2013.2.63180

Abstract: Hannah Arendt (1906–1975) is a German-American philosopher and political theorist. She seriously thought to develop systematic phenomenology and analytics of politics. At the same time, Arendt based herself on such basic concepts of political philosophy as power, freedom, violence, revolution and social issue. She tried to build a non-metaphysical ontology which would contribute to human freedom instead of making human a hostage of cause-and-effect relations. The keynotes of her philosophy are freedom and humanism. To her freedom is not only a fundamental characteristic of human existence but also the main criteria for assessing social and spiritual progress. Hannah Arendt showed contradictions of social development and her ideas about social activity and totalitarianism played an important role in formation of modern political studies. Her publishing and cultural-political activity was highly appraised by the society. The present article is devoted to Hannah Arendt’s interpretation of the phenomenon of mass society. Her cultural and philosophical views haven’t been fully discussed in Russian philosophical literature yet.

Keywords: philosophy, education, culture, mass society, individual, mob psychology, burgess, art, value, self-alienation.

DOI: 10.7256/2454-0676.2013.3.10511

DOI: 10.7256/2454-0676.2013.3.63737

Abstract: Perception of the image of Russian Motherland has been changing throughout the history of Russia. However, noteworthy that it is only the external side of understanding which has been changing and these changes have never influenced the basic concept of Motherland. Each historical epoch had an impact on these perceptions. Foreign policy played a very signification role, too. Since the very moment when the Russian government was formed, Russia has been fighting wars with other countries. There had been times when the existence of the country and preservation of the national culture were questioned. In other words, the image of Motherland has being formed since the moment when Russia was established as a country. The author of the article uses the retrospective method which allows to trace back the main milestones in transformation of the image of Russia throughout the history of our state. The comparative method allows the author to prove that there are two levels of perceiving the image of our Motherland that are related to defense of our homeland — military defense and cultural defense. Today we can’t or don’t want to understand that our national idea should be the preservation of culture. Each national initially tries to preserve its cultural identity. Therefore, the first level of perception of the image of Motherland (military defense) passes into the background and it goes without saying that preservation of cultural identity and therefore preservation of Russian state should be the priority.

Keywords: transformation, Motherland, history, national idea, image, culture, defense, perception, level, spirituality.

DOI: 10.7256/2454-0676.2013.4.11644

DOI: 10.7256/2454-0676.2013.4.64121

Abstract: The article is devoted to the concept of philosophy of culture introduced by Ernst Cassirer as well as his ideas on philosophical anthropology and human freedom. At some point Cassirer agreed with the Kant’s and Hegel’s concepts of culture as a progressive development of the idea of freedom. To him freedom of mind was essential and shown in each movement of the thought, will or feeling bringing a man from a passive state to a particular activity. This is why Cassirer started with the analytical description of different activities including language, art, religion and science and viewed that description as a background for future synthesis of these activities, i.e. creation of the cultural universum by the means of man’s creative abilities. The author of the present research article has been studying Cassirer’s philosophy for many years. The research presented in this article was started when Parkhomenko studied at a University under the guidance of a famous Russian philosopher Pavel Gurevich. Pavel Gurevich was the first philosopher in Russia to publish translations of Cassirer’s works in Russian. He also published a whole series of analytical articles discussing Cassirer’s philosophy. The author of the present research article shows how Cassirer’s philosophy gradually developed from philosophy of culture to philosophical anthropology. While Cassirer’s Philosophy of Symbolic Form and the Logic of the Cultural Sciences talked mostly the ‘products’ of culture, the author of the present research article analyzes the symbolic forms constituting the entire universum of human culture as well as general principles allowing these autonomous forms to exist as a stable and integrated cultural environment. Later in his Essay on Man Cassirer focused on the subject creating all these symbolic forms, i.e. human and his freedom as the main feature of human.

Keywords: Cassirer, freedom, philosophy of culture, philosophical anthropology, human, symbolic form, myth, consciousness, rationalism, language.

DOI: 10.7256/2454-0676.2015.4.17711

Abstract: In his article Chernyaev attempts to analyze interpretation of mystical problematics in Nikolay Berdyaev's writings. He demonstrates the development of this topic in the course of ideological evolution of the philosopher and performs contextualization of Berdyaev's interpretation of mystics in the historical-philosophical, religious and overall cultural environment of the Silver Age. Even though he did not claim to be a mystic, in his religious and philosophical works Nikolay Berdyaev appealed to the mystical experience of others. Berdyaev's intuitive interpretation of the nature and meaning of such mystical experience is the subject of the present research. In the course of his research Chernyaev has used the methods of textual, conceptual and comparative analysis; the main methodological principles include multidisciplinary approach and hermeneutic interpretation. The results of the research allow to conclude that Berdyaev interprets mystics as revolutionary to Orthodox church mysticism, and his subjective theory contains a lot of new findings compared to the Christian tradition. Even though Berdyaev had his own opinion on the matter, his views on mysticism reflected opinions of the intelligentsia of the Silver age whose typical features included the pursuance of religious revival and intellectual overcoming of Orthodox dogmatism.

DOI: 10.7256/2454-0676.2015.4.67423