Ideas of a “new enlightenment” as a social-philosophical alternative in understanding the challenges of global security

Abstract

Introduction. An essential feature of the world community modern development is the exacerbation of the global problems of the mankind and increased concern for global security. The development of a new global ethic of political and economic relations is becoming a common goal. The aim and tasks. The article reveals the cultural, socio-philosophical, ethical roots of the pathology of the modern world order. The tasks are: to analyze the idea of the «New Enlightenment» as an alternative socio-philosophical model. The «New Enlightenment» concept was presented by the Co-Presidents of the Club of Rome Ernst Ulrich von Weizsäcker (Germany) and Anders Wijkman (Sweden) in a report «Come on! Capitalism, Short-termism, Population and Destruction of the Planet» (2017). Research methods. The theory and method of discourse analysis, the method of comparative analysis, as well as system-logical, dialectic, analytical, synthetic and structural research methods are applied. Research results. Modern political, economic, social, technological and environmental crises testify the catastrophic prospects of the global capitalist system and reveal the shortcomings of the neoliberal value system. Neoliberal attitudes of greed, impatience and short-term - are recognized as responsible for the pernicious losses in nature and society. Discussion. The authors of the report present the concept of «New Enlightenment» as a new alternative worldview. They believe this knowledge will help to overcome reductionist philosophy and pure scientific analytism. This worldview will become a comprehensive knowledge of the world, which can develop scenarios for a more balanced, so-called «sustainable development». In the domestic philosophical and cultural tradition, the integral ideas of the «New Enlightenment» are consonant with the concepts of universal evolutionism, the «philosophy of cosmism», and the concept of «noosphere». Conclusion. The authors of the report «Come on...» do not give specific answer to the question about the mechanism for implementing the methodology of the «New Enlightenment» and about an alternative socio-economic type of society. Their concept seems eclectic and socially utopian and therefore cannot become a true methodology in overcoming the crisis of modern civilization and its global problems.