Modern Philosophy Research Articles

Гносеологическая проблема созерцания и симулирования в философии

There are two ways to gain new knowledge: 1) when incomplete and inaccurate knowledge becomes more complete and accurate as a result of formal logical deduction, and 2) when “contemplation” is established as a direct connection of the subject with the being of the object of knowledge, which implies the formulation and solution of the main question of philosophy, including ontological and epistemological aspects. Turning to the concept of contemplation, K. Marx pointed out the main drawback of previous materialism, which ignored human activity with the subject. Idealism developed it, but misinterpreted its correlation with the subject of knowledge. Further, the objective-idealistic version of contemplation, dating back to the ancient philosophy of Plato, and the subjective-idealistic version, dating back to the philosophy of I. Kant, are analyzed. The differences and similarities in their content are revealed. Finally, it is shown that contemplation, as an epistemological problem, has a rational content in materialistic philosophy, because here we are talking about establishing a direct connection between the subject and objective reality, the various phenomena of which act as a variety of cognizable objects, providing absolutely new knowledge (absolute truth) in contrast to knowledge relatively new (relative truth) in the course of formal logical deduction. Such contemplation is obtained by the subject of cognition in the process of his contemplative activity. It is opposed by simulation, and its characteristic is given, which goes back to the Platonic concept of “copy of a copy”, which is being mastered in modern philosophy. The difference between the concepts of Plato and Plotinus, who switched to the position of simulation, is shown. The dialectical method of the unity of historical and logical, supplemented by the comparative method, was used as a research methodology, which made it possible to identify the fundamental opposite of contemplation and simulation.

Metaphysica paupera: New insights into the history of metaphysics between the middle ages and early modern philosophy

<i>Metaphysica paupera</i>: New insights into the history of metaphysics between the middle ages and early modern philosophy

Evidence of Vedic Sanātana Hinduism as a Global Dharma

This research explores the spread-out influence of Vedic Sanātana Hinduism, postulating that it once served as a foundational spiritual and cultural tradition with a reach that extended well beyond the Indian subcontinent. By looking into key aspects of Vedic culture, such as meditation, ritual practices, and Ārcavigraha (deity worship) as expressions of the divine, this study presents a multifaceted view of Hinduism’s spread and adaptation across diverse ancient civilizations. Evidence of Hindu deities and symbols found globally in archaeological excavations—ranging from Southeast Asia, Europe to the Americas and Canada, —demonstrates that elements of Hindu spirituality were not confined to any one region. Rather, they appear to have permeated a variety of cultures and belief systems over time, often integrating with local customs and symbols. Moreover, this research examines Vedic Hinduism’s contributions to scientific knowledge, literature, governance, and technology, highlighting the sophistication and cultural advancement of early Hindu society. Ancient Hindu texts like the Mahabharata and the Vedas depict Bhāratavarṣa, a concept of a unified Earth or global empire under Vedic values, which is reflected in historical records describing interactions with regions beyond South Asia, including the Mleccha, Yavanas, and other international groups. Stories and references from these texts suggest a thriving network of trade, communication, and diplomacy between India and other parts of the ancient world, where Vedic influences may have taken root. Furthermore, the principles of Vedic literature continue to shape modern philosophy, science, ethics, and governance, underscoring the enduring relevance of Hindu thought across multiple fields. Further, Vedic texts trace humanity's origins to Rishi Kashyapa and his descendants, with references to various tribes and races like the Yavanas and Mleccha crossing oceans to establish their own cultures. The enduring legacy of Vedic philosophy in science, literature, ethics, and governance underscores its universal appeal and lasting impact on modern disciplines. This study demonstrates that Vedic Sanātana Hinduism, in its scope and influence, was more than a regional faith; it served as a global dharma, profoundly shaping the course of world history and spirituality. Through a combination of historical documentation, scriptural analysis, and contemporary scholarship, this research contends that Vedic Sanātana Hinduism not only shaped Indian civilization but also left an indelible mark on the religious, intellectual, and cultural landscapes of many regions across the globe. This convergence of ancient evidence and modern insight reinforces the idea that Vedic Sanātana Hinduism once operated as a truly global dharma, offering a comprehensive and profound framework for understanding the interconnectedness of human society.

The Problematic of the thing-in-itself in XIX century philosophy

In modern philosophy, the status of the concept of the thing-in-itself and the history of its origin and transformation are being conceptualized. This article examines the conceptual shift that happened to the notion of the thing-in-itself in XIX century philosophy, because this notion still remains important in the context of the possibility of having knowledge about reality and the status of reality itself. The rethinking of the thing-in-itself in the philosophy of Schopenhauer, Nietzsche and neo-Kantianism of the Marburg school (Cohen, Cassirer, Natorp) is considered. A comparative analysis of the works of all these authors allows us to say that the primary orientation of all these authors is to the specific elimination of the concept of the thing-in-itself. The thing-in-itself outside Kantian philosophy went through changes connected with an attempt to get rid of it or to define it in a non-contradictory (because the transcendent form of thing-in-itself gives us a contradiction) way for transcendental philosophy.

Суб’єктність як фундаментальний концепт сучасної філософії освіти

The article is devoted to revealing the core significance of the con­cept of subjectivity in the modern philosophy of education. The focus on the ac­tualisation of the problem of subjectivity is combined with the awareness of its existential multidimensionality and collision, which has different manifestations in totalitarian, authoritarian and democratic societies. In the semantic field of philosophical anthropology as meta-anthropology (N. Khamitov), the author of the article reveals the philosophical and pedagogical context of the subject-sub­ject interaction between teacher and student. As a result, the concept of the “New Ukrainian School” is understood as a paradigm of education of the present and the future, which generates a strategy of free, dignified and effective human self-realisation. The goal and condition of Ukraine’s civilisational progress is a per­son, their dignified self-realisation, which implies physical, mental and spiritual growth of the individual. It is substantiated that the new paradigm of education as a subject-subject communicative interaction “Human – Human”, co-creation of a teacher and a student, bases the foundations of the civilisational subjectivity of Ukraine. In the difficult conditions of the existential Russian-Ukrainian war, which is a real challenge to human nature, there is a tangle of problems between the con­cept of life and the concept of subjectivity. The development of an openly tolerant, communicative model of “Human – Human” on the basis of meta-anthropology as a theory of everyday, borderline and meta-borderline human existence opens the way to the implementation of the value consolidation of the Ukrainian society. On this path, the philosophy of education is increasingly becoming a philosophy of humanity, a desire for co-creation and co-action. The subject-subject interac­tion “Human – Human” is the basis of the metaphysical and cosmic process of life, which implies human freedom and independence of Ukraine.

The Eucharist in Modern Philosophy, written by Xavier Tilliette

The Eucharist in Modern Philosophy, written by Xavier Tilliette

Митрополит Антоний (Храповицкий) между Кантом и французским спиритуализмом

Today there is no need to prove the importance of I. Kant’s ideas for Russian religious-philosophical thought. A considerable amount of serious recent academic research confirms this obvious truth. At the same time, the field of Russian academic theology is much less developed in this respect, although Kant’s presence in it, both as an opponent demanding an answer from the “theological faculty” and as a source of fruitful ideas, is no less obvious. In particular, Metropolitan Anthony Khrapovitsky’s extramural dialogue with Kant remains unexplored to this day. Meanwhile, as early as in his master’s thesis “Psychological Evidence in favour of Free Will” Anthony devotes an entire chapter to criticism of Kant's “Critiques”, and later, in his articles of the 90s, he addresses Kant’s “Religion within the Bounds of Bare Reason”. This work attracted the attention of Russian theologians more than once. In particular, an answer to Kant’s Christological challenge was already sought by St Innocent of Kherson. Relying by default on his work, however, Metropolitan Anthony concentrates more on an attempt to complete the Kantian idea of moral duty with the idea of love as a divine power that wills and transforms the world. Here he finds unexpected, at first glance, allies in the person of the French spiritualists Ch. Secrétan and A. Fouillée. The latter, in their turn, relied to a considerable extent in their philosophical constructions on French Augustinianism of the 17th century with its ideas of pure or selfless love, ideas that were peculiarly refracted in the autonomous morality of Kant himself. As a result, in the Christological concept of redemptive compassionate love proposed by Metropolitan Anthony, we recognise the ideas of Bl. Augustine, the forefather of Modern philosophy, which have gone through many philosophical iterations.

The category of Nothingness as a factor in the aesthetics and poetics of modernist literature

The article defines the specifics of the influence of ideas about Nothingness on the artistic philosophy and aesthetics of modernism. It is stated that the feeling of the "liminal" time created an ambiguous perception of the world: the mystical fear of "sinking into Nothingness" together with the "dying" world, the bitterness of the loss of the "former" world were combined with the expectation of an inevitable revival. Nothingness becomes a system-forming factor in the artistic philosophy and aesthetics of modernism. Modernism objects both to Nietzschean concept of the "death of God" and to the rational-pragmatic understanding of being. Modernist reflection on Nothingness means striving for a classical value attitude to the world, manifests the salvation of culture, the human and the divine in man, asserts the idea of the highest (in the ontological and value sense) being. Therefore, the defining position of modernist aesthetics is the assertion of the presence of the Supreme and the Sacred, one of the representatives of which in the text is Nothingness. Theoristsof modernism show interest in various traditions of understanding Nothingness in culture and master them in aesthetics and poetics. The heterogeneity of inherited traditions gives rise to a variety of poetic and philosophical concepts: the focus on cognition of the Unknowable through symbolic imagery, mytho-theurgic constructions as the basis of the “negative aesthetics” of the 20th century were combined with the ontologization of Nothingness in the chronotope of a work of art based on the convergence of archetypal oppositions and theaffirmation of the value of spiritual effort aimed at comprehending the highest meaning of existence. Thus, the category of Nothingness in the aesthetics of modernism acts as the embodiment of the ontological problematic nature of the incomprehensible world, a sign of its epistemological uncertainty, correlating the Absolute and the Incomprehensible with the Beautiful.

Tło filozoficzne teorii percepcji Thomasa Reida

The subject of this article is not explicity the theory of perception that Reid propounded. To present it would go beyond his modest framework because an essential part of Reid's view was the so-called common sense principles. The nature, number and cognition role of these principles would require a separate discussion. In this text, therefore, I concentrate on the specific preliminaries of the philosophy proposed by the founder of the Scottish school of common sense, which can be interpreted as a "negative reference point", which is the starting point for "positive" solutions, i.e. Reid's proposed theory of perception. He thus began with a critique of the "theory of ideas", which, in Reid's view, was the main reason for the failure to formulate a satisfactory philosophy of mind. Within this critique, we find his reflections on the method of philosophising itself, the differences that occur in the study of such different objects as material objects and cognitive mind, and his interpretation of the consequences of the adaption of the theory of ideas by the philosophers of modernity. The result of Reid's theoretical analyses is the rejection of the assumption of any mutual interaction between matter and mind, the questioning of the possibility of perception of material objects based on similarity of sense impressions and the things perceived, and the accusation of the proponents of this theory of dooming philosophy to idealism and scepticism.

Социально-философское исследование проблемы классификации правовых оценок и правовых ценностей

The scientific article presents the results of socio-philosophical study of one of the unresolved problems in many evaluation-value theories, namely, the problem of creating a unified classification of values and evaluations. In this context, the problem of classification of legal values and legal evaluations is not an exception. Classification of legal values as opposed to the classification of legal evaluations is a sufficiently researched topic in modern philosophy of law and jurisprudence. However, in social philosophy the issue of classification of the concepts of “legal values” and “legal assessments” has not been the subject of a separate study. In order to conduct this classification, it is necessary to thoroughly understand the content of these concepts. Legal values and legal assessments are defined by means of the generic concepts of “social values” and “social assessments”. In addition to the classical definition in the socio-philosophical study of legal values and legal assessments, contextual definition and comparative analysis are applied. As a result, the problem of classification of legal assessments and legal values is solved through social-philosophical understanding of existing classifications of these concepts and proposing their own variants of classification.

A crítica de Hegel à certeza sensível e a sua reabilitação por Feuerbach sob a perspectiva da teoria da fotografia

Feuerbach proposes a break with modern philosophy through his critique of Hegelian speculation. Aiming for a new materialist philosophy, he conceptualizes sense and immediate intuition as the primary organ of reality. The article examines Feuerbach’s re-evaluation of Hegel’s critique of sense-certainty and his rehabilitation of this figure of consciousness. His rehabilitation is contextualized within the cultural-media revolution of photography, suggesting that this approach responds to the impact of the new media techniques of the time. According to the author, sense-certainty should be understood as a “theoretical reflection of a figure of the spirit of the people based on a media technique.” Therefore, it shows that photography, as a new technical medium, plays a central role in Feuerbach’s rehabilitation of sense and immediate certainty. The analysis reveals that the discussion on this figure of consciousness goes beyond the philosophical debate, as it reflects a significant change in the way experience and reality are organized and understood.

Philosophy of music in the context of mathematics

In the philosophy of mathematics, two opposing trends have historically developed: apriorism (Pythagoras) and empiricism (Aristotle) and both of them have had their impact on the development of music. Philosophers of Ancient Greece and the East noted the important role of music; it was used in religious rites, which served as the basis for social and state relations. The article presents a joint panorama of the development (by historical eras) of the philosophy of mathematics and music and notes their close relationship. But if the Philosophy of Mathematics has long been included in the section of sciences «Philosophical Questions of Science», the Philosophy of Music has not yet acquired such a full-fledged status, although philosophers, specialists in aesthetics, art criticism, composers and musicians have dedicated their works to it. This can be attributed to the fact that since the time of Pythagoras, science has not advanced much in explaining the phenomenon of music. The article attempts to explain this paradox and offer as a hypothesis possible options for studying this topic «Mathematics and Music». The development of brain sciences, high technologies and cognitive sciences can contribute to the success in the development of the Philosophy of Music. The philosophy of music explores ontological, epistemological and axiological problems, the essence, historical and social existence of music, as well as the features of its interaction with art, literature, mathematics, natural and humanitarian sciences. Applied issues of the philosophy of music are the formation of ethical and cognitive guidelines for life and ideological ideals in humans. Music finds its practical embodiment in medicine, psychology, education and various means of communication. The latter is becoming the most important direction of modern philosophy and science. At present, mathematics contributes to the development of new integral directions in music associated with light, color and many other characteristics.

Does Physics Need Metaphysics?

A number of thinkers both past and present have been skeptical of the role of metaphysics for science. The early modern philosopher David Hume denigrated metaphysics as an attempt to “penetrate into subjects utterly inaccessible to the understanding,” while the Logical Positivists saw metaphysics as meaningless, wholly useless to scientific inquiry. In contrast to these thinkers stands the early modern philosopher Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz. A mathematician and scientist himself, Leibniz developed a variety of metaphysical principles entailed centrally by his Principle of Sufficient Reason. Leibniz utilized these principles to address scientific topics of his day, including, but not limited to, the relative nature of space and the heliocentric model of the universe. Drawing on Leibniz’s diverse corpus, I will reconstruct his formulations of the Principle of Sufficient Reason, the Principle of Perfection, and the Principle of the Identity of Indiscernibles, providing the intellectual context for their development. I will then argue through examples that his metaphysical principles illustrate the utility of metaphysics for natural science, for they can be used to both ground the logical coherence of the discipline of physics and serve as practical methodological guides for theory development and selection.

The Three Postulate Idea: Between Limits and Metaphysical Beliefs in Immanuel Kant's System of Philosophy

In the history of Western philosophy, debates about truth and error have continued to develop, reflecting diverse views that have emerged over time. The question of human nature became the center of intellectual attention, expanding philosophical study from speculation to fundamental thinking. Amid this context, Immanuel Kant emerged as a key figure who brought a new approach to philosophical inquiry. Although he spent his life in Koningsberg, his ideas in epistemology, anthropology, ethics, and education gained global recognition and made him one of the most influential philosophers of the modern era. However, his views have also drawn criticism, especially for the inconsistencies that are perceived to support dogmatism, although he originally intended to criticize it. This research analyzes Kant's thought, especially about the limits of human knowledge, metaphysics, and criticism of dogmatism. The method used is qualitative text analysis, which examines Kant's main work, "Critique of Pure Reason," as well as the views of other philosophers. Primary and secondary literature is reviewed to identify inconsistencies in Kant's arguments. The results show that although Kant's philosophical system has made an outstanding contribution, there are significant areas for improvement in the handling of metaphysical concepts and the limits of knowledge, which ultimately has the potential to fall into dogmatism. This study concludes that Kant's thought remains relevant and essential, but it needs to be reread critically to fully understand its impact on modern philosophy.

Bildung and the moral topography of the self

Abstract The ideal of authenticity that developed in the Romantic era emphasized that both individuals and places find their own authentic process for cultivating their identity and humanity, a notion that has become controversial in modern philosophy. This article will explore the concepts of authenticity and place and discuss their relevance for Bildung theory today. Based on the works of Charles Taylor, we will argue that Bildung can be seen as constituted by and constitutive of language and moral spaces that go beyond the self and its individuality. In this view, Bildung can be understood as a ‘moral topography of the self’ with both substantial and procedural aspects. However, language and moral spaces (i.e. communities) can both enable and constrict our Bildung processes. Drawing on Rahel Jaeggi, we thus argue that alienation is an equally important concept to understand the complex and dialectical relationship between individuals and communities in our current moment.

A STUDY ON THE CHARACTERISTICS OF ANCIENT CHINESE PHILOSOPHY REGARDING MUSIC EDUCATION

The work reveals the features of ancient Chinese philosophy in the context of music education. The specific characteristics of the corresponding ancient Chinese concepts are considered. The theories of music education in the works of the followers of Confucianism and Taoism are described. The development and evolution of thought regarding teaching the art of music to the younger generation is presented in a historical perspective. The author analyses the educational function of music in Chinese culture, as well as elements of the state official propaganda in music education in Ancient China. The influence of the traditions of Chinese philosophy on modern philosophy of music and music pedagogy in the People's Republic of China is considered. It is concluded that the Chinese philosophy of music education is based on harmony and aesthetic pleasure from performing and listening to a piece of music, as well as on performing various rituals.

Socializing Minds: Intersubjectivity in Early Modern Philosophy by Martin Lenz (review)

Socializing Minds: Intersubjectivity in Early Modern Philosophy by Martin Lenz (review)

FORMAL AND STYLISTIC COMPONENTS OF M.O. AUEZOV'S EPIC NOVEL"THE PATH OF ABAI"

The ancient epic tradition significantly influenced the formation of the modern Kazakh literary language. It has become the main base of modern philosophy, literature and aesthetics. But in that literary era, when the great novel by M.O. Auezov was being created, they did not write about the epic tradition –the bearer of healthy moral principles –and especially about the zhyrau tradition, attaching a label to it –"idealization of the khan's past and patriarchal-Bay reality." It is for this rea-son that the term zhyrau is not mentioned in the epic novel. This image has not been recreated due to the historical reality of the New Time, the time of Abai, when the Zhyrau descended from the historical arena, although the writer's artistic logic allows us to trace the immortal oral-literary con-tinuity of the traditions of the previous era by the akyns. Today we call this phenomenon Steppe Knowledge.Despite their special status, their distinctive social functions, their worldview and ways of inter-preting reality, both Zhyrau and akyns go back to the same source, the ancient oral foundation, from where they draw rhythms, plots, motifs, themes and images, means of artistic expression and depic-tion, what we now call «the formulaic style»at the suggestion of epicologists M. Parry and A.B. Lord.Since this mighty stylistic technique of Zhyrau is still traced in the works of the akyns of the Abai epoch and it manifests itself with special force in the works of the most talented akyns of the New Time, then the formulaic law that forms the language and style, the entire formulaic aesthetics of the poets of the New Time, should be studied in a comparative aspect. This is the main purpose of article.

Philosophical aspects of the ethics of responsibility by Hans Jonas

In the article the philosophical aspects of Hans Jonas' ethics were described and analyzed. The analysis of their logical coherence and consistency in the observed moral imperatives was carried out. The reconstruction of the meaning of the ideological and contextual context was carried out, within the framework of which Jo-nas formulates the main provisions of his ethical theory. As the main application updating the proposed un-derstanding and ethics of the Recommendation, the solution of the technology, or rather its (their) intensive and irreversible growth, is proposed. The irrelevance of imperative ethics was emphasized in the light of the new particularly acute challenges facing modern civilization. The main epistemological and problematic as-pects of Jonas's ethical theory were highlighted, formulated in the form of questions, the search for answers to which constitute the justification of these scenarios. The application of the author 's logic of argumentation and the metaphysical basis of the new ethics in the key of rationalism, as well as the possibility of its applica-tion in the political dimension at the global level of environmental problems was demonstrated. The author's dichotomies were revealed when analyzing the ethical attitude to such categories as “value” and “responsibil-ity”. The substantial novelty of the Jonas concept was presented, taking into account the main provisions of Kant's formal ethics and ontological explanations of technical Heidegger. It was concluded that, unlike many irrational interests in modern philosophy, the ethics of Realization was embedded in the classical tradition of philosophical knowledge, although constructive polemics were associated with it. The question of the ap-plicability of the practical application of the new ethics was raised.

1930년대 천도교의 종교 교육: 『자수대학강의』 ｢종교과｣를 중심으로

[Objective] The purpose of this study is to examine how education on religion was practiced in Ch’ŏndogyo in the 1930s, focusing on the “Religion Course” in Home College Lecture. [Contents] In 1908, Ch’ŏndogyo began to organize a curriculum for catechetical and modern education in earnest. Initially in the form of “Training Center,” they are developed into schools called “Shi-il School” in the 1920s, and in the 1930s they organized a kind of “Home Schooling Curriculum” called “Jasu College”. The Jasu College compiled a textbook, Home College Lecture, and disseminated advanced knowledge on Chinese religion, Western philosophy, politics, economics, and art to the public. In particular, the “Religion Course” shows a Ch’ŏndogyo perspective, defining the concept of religion based on “Humans are Heaven”. [Conclusions] The conclusions of this study are as follows. First, the modern education system and curriculum of Ch’ŏndogyo during the Japanese occupation gradually systematized from “Training Center” to “Shi-il School” and finally to “Home College.” Second, “Religion Course” in Home College Lecture introduces Chinese religion in the form of a modern philosophy on the one hand, and Korean interpretations of Ch’ŏndogyo on the other.