Term creation. Reflections on the book “Projective Dictionary of the Humanities” by M. N. Epstein

Abstract

The article deals with the book “Projective Dic­ti­onary of the Humanities” written by the well-known philosopher and culturologist M. N. Ep­stein, who has been working for more than thirty years to develop the terminology of the language of science and philosophy. It is shown that despite the dictionary being claimed to ap­peal to the future, it is based on those principles which were elaborated by the science and phi­lo­sophy of New Times, such as mechanistic interpretation of nature, the possibility of its “correction” and constructing, the existential understanding of man as a project. It is noted that the “Projective Dictionary” makes it pos­sible to actualize the mythological concept of language (creative language), reproduces that social model, which is based on the optimistic and progressionistic view on history. The ar­ti­cles of the “Projective Dic­ti­onary” which ex­plain the “Sofia terms” are analyzed more closely. The origins of the proposed terms are dis­­cussed, their different meanings are men­ti­oned. In particular, the term “ethnosophy” is examined in the context of actual Russian phi­lo­sophy and ideology. It is concluded that the “Projective Dictionary” by M. N. Ep­stein is of great impor­tance as it stimulates independent creative thinking, helps to overcome philo­so­phical ste­reo­types, such as identifying philo­so­phy with the history of philosophy.