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Concept: philosophy, religion, culture

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Vol 4, No 2 (2020)
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MONOLOGUE OF THE EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

RESEARCH ARTICLES. PHILOSOPHY

7-16 912
Abstract
Onomapoiesis strategies actualize the distinctive sphere of human practice, which is a direct continuation of autopoiesis and anthropoiesis. They atomize and ontologize the Self by restricting it to definite structure-morphologic clusters of language expressions, such as personal name and pronoun. As a result, we have two completely different tactics: naming tactics and pronoun tactics, or ego-strategies. These practices refer to diverse complexes and can’t be considered within one species, each of them constitutes the autonomous entity. Any self-naming, self-calling, and indication through the name or pronoun, correlates with the innate eager and desire of a person to express himself, the world, and other(s). Thus, the anthropology of naming turns out to be the part of philosophical discourse, implicitly passing through the entire history of thought. Primarily, the philosophy of Stoics belongs to this kind of boundary marks, within the framework of which the distinction between the name and the pronoun was made for the first time. Plus, the discovery of deixis belongs to them. In the context of the modern era of philosophy, the doctrine of Rene Descartes is a kind of counterpoint when the Self, the Ego, first reveals itself to consciousness. Further, there is a fission inside the indicated complexes: I and not-I, My and not-My, I and You, We and They, I and the Other, I and Others manifest themselves inside the pronoun practices of naming. Their contents and meanings become the subject of philosophy and linguistic, as well as interdisciplinary studies. There are two conceptually framed strategies within one complex, which illustrates the praxeological character of the study: the Heideggerian Dasein and the polyphonic Ego presented by Bakhtin M.M. The first one unfolds as a monologue and first-person speech; the latter in turn, as a dialog, which expresses the subject’s being as a complicity in the polyphony of voices of the Other(s).
17-24 917
Abstract
The philosophy of «care» has already joined a range of problems extensively discussed by philosophers of various scholarly traditions. Exploring the concept of care as it has been defined in ancient philosophy and the philosophy of the 20th and early 21st centuries allows, firstly, to trace some parallels between two periods of development of philosophical thought; secondly, to recognize the significant potential of this concept while discussing ontological, ethical and existential problems; thirdly, to highlight complex role of the corresponding terminology as a marker of cultural specifics of the «life world», reflected in the conceptual framework of a particular era. Finally, the analysis of «care» through the retrospective synchronization of «antiquity» and «modernity» promotes a deeper perception of the differences in «care» interpretations within various cultural contexts. Such analysis is critically important for defining the methodological significance of this concept for modern social and human sciences, since it reveals the framework nature of social responsibility conceptualization. Therefore? the novelty of the study consists in defining methodological significance of «care» in the framework of modern pedagogical knowledge, as well as systematizing various conceptual models of «care» in ancient and modern philosophy. Theoretical relevance of the research is based on the ability to formulate contextual definitions of «care», as well as to establish its propaedeutic significance in modern pedagogical and educational practices. Having defined the meanings of «care» we can conclude that contemporary culture demands its ancient interpretations be based on the explication of self-knowledge as a high demand social practice.
25-32 736
Abstract
Modern problems of the socio-humanistic sciences, including the interaction of structure/ agency, the ways and forms of both personal development and socio-cultural changes, the transformation of the value status of a social ego, the reinterpretation of its contribution to the creativeness of society require substantial amendments to the definitions and methodology of socio-humanistic research. In order to achieve this goal, the article considers one of the basic concepts of European philosophy, transcending from the point of view which differs from generally accepted. The singularity of the author’s approach is the social notion of this concept and the identification of its integrating capabilities regarding to semantically close concepts and terms of social theory of the 20th – 21st centuries. To reach these objectives, a comparative analysis of the concepts of social transcending and the concepts of action creativity (H. Joas), fabulation (A.-T. Tymieniecka), signification (P. Berger, T. Luckmann), noting (J. Alexander), metalanguage (R. Barthes), agency (E. Giddens et al.) was treated. Social transcending is as intentional and creative as human action. However, the first concept, besides, is intersubjective, communicative and teleological. As a fabulation, social transcending raises a person by means of functioning of many sociocultural practices, above the world of mundanity. However, in fabulation the mechanism of such exaltation is a artistic and aesthetic experience, while in social transcending all the interests peculiar to human beings are used: cognitive, ethical, religious, etc. Signification involves the individually-personal and sign-symbolic aspects of social transcending, its everyday and non-everyday levels, being one of the significant ways of social transcending. Noting and metalanguage also embody the options of signifying of social transcending; by means of agensy its dynamism is revealed. The author comes to the conclusion that the generic conceptual-substantive basis of the analyzed concepts is social transcending, which «incorporates» the most important processes of social creativity.

RESEARCH ARTICLES. RELIGIOUS STUDIES

33-42 663
Abstract
To establish a scientific assessment of the religious factor in the historical formation of antimodernist movements is essential to determine their sociocultural nature. For clarity, all the arguments offered by the author are backed by a brief analysis of specific historical events, in which the religious factor played a pivotal role in forming a new traditionalist ideology. The author focuses on criticism of the simplified positivist approach to the role of the religious factor in the development and formation of antimodernist movements. Such an approach to a certain extent ignores the complexity of the phenomenon under study. By using concrete historical material on the example of the role of religion in the Vendee uprising, the Kristeros movement in Mexico and the formation of the phalangist ideology during the Spanish Civil War (1936-1939), a more objective approach to the problem under study is proposed. Based on the results of modern historical and religious studies, the author points out that the assumption of a special level of religious fanaticism and mystical exaltation, allegedly characteristic of traditional agrarian societies in the crucial era of the transition to the industrial era, is unjustified. The facts and the comparative analysis conducted suggest that the religious element within antimodernist movements is launched when it is necessary to contrast the ideology of modernization with the traditionalist ideology, which is equally modern in itself. Religion becomes the basis of ideology, simultaneously changing in many respects its former sociocultural significance. In fact, in all cases under consideration, the religious factor turns into ideological, which in itself is a sign of gradual modernization, even of that part of the society which defends conservative values.
43-52 586
Abstract

Globalization processes, which are aimed at forming a single language of different cultures, raise problems of modern identity and its transformation. The process of self-identification is complex and depends on the existing worldview, so the transformation of identity entails a change in the worldview, and vice versa. In other words, such transformation can be seen as transgressive processes, which is clearly demonstrated in the example of religious practice.

The religious worldview is rather stable, but significant changes are observed today. Influenced by syncretism fashion, new religious practices start blurring the boundaries of the world confessions that have been formed over the centuries, replacing the sacrament of conversion with an act of uncontrolled religious transgression, which is especially characteristic of believers who do not feel a special craving for integral system of dogmas.

The authors used the term transgression to fix the phenomenon of crossing the impassable border between the possible and the impossible, leading in some cases to a breakthrough beyond the boundaries of everyday commonness and generally accepted norms. This process is both constructive and destructive, but it is destructive to social norms. Therefore, special attention is paid to the act of religious transgression related to the transition to another faith, which makes it necessary to study in the framework of the article bans and recommendations designed to create a limit of impassability on the borders of world confessions. Based on the comparative analysis of various rules and regulations adopted in Judaism, Islam and Christianity in order to regulate believers’ behavior, the social effect on the formation of the individual religious worldview is analyzed.

53-62 720
Abstract
Sport is still a «blind spot» in religious studies; meanwhile, the phenomenon of modern sport, from the point of view of its sociocultural determination, value and semantic content, is of great interest to the sciences of religious rituals. At first glance, the empirical facts about sport are quite ordinary. For all participants and attentive observers, physical efforts and sport results are fed by carefully constructed worlds of sacred stories, symbols and personal rituals. The increasing number of athletes involved in sports activities claim the priority of spiritual growth in the process of training and competitions over physical metamorphoses. Champions talk frankly about their religious views and demonstrate confessional affiliation, building bridges between personal rituals and their victories or defeats, which makes it possible to think about including sports in the field of religious studies. The objective of the present research is to analyze the theoretical and methodological foundations of studying the phenomenon of athletes’ religious commitment, as well as adapting existing approaches to distinguishing types of religious and non-religious individuals, taking into account the specifics of this group. Based on the results of empirical studies of the last twenty years developed in Russian sociology of religion, the author reveals their potential for solving urgent problems. In this article, the author focuses on the methods of studying the religiosity of modern athletes. One of the problems is the construction of classification demonstrating athletes’ religiosity taking into account the specifics of their activities, as well as the possibilities of representing their beliefs through religious practices before / during / after competitions.

RESEARCH ARTICLES. CULTUROLOGY

63-70 1055
Abstract

Mir Bozhiy (God’s World) magazine is justly attributed to the lead periodicals of the p lutionary Russia. It came out in 1892-1906. During that relatively short period, it managed to win well-deserved respect and popularity among its readers. The circulation of 18 thousand issues in its best years is a perfect proof. No other classical fat magazine had such a wide circulation. At first, Mir Bozhiy was considered a specialized edition for young audience. That was the reason for its religious name referring at a young soul exploring the world of the God. However, very soon it turned into a magazine for wider public and readers of different ages. Already one year after it was first published, its cover had the subtitle complimented with a note «for self-education». Mir Bozhiy became a magazine for family reading replacing books, schoolbooks and encyclopaedias.

Its readers had all reasons to love the magazine. Published works of literature — poems, stories, and novels stood out with their high literary level; and scientific reviews represented thorough analytical studies that contained brave and original conclusion. Contributors of the content included the authors who made Russian poetry and literature shine such as Dmitriy Merezhkovskiy, Ivan Bunin, Dmitriy Mamin-Sibiryak, Alexander Kuprin and others.

Exceptional articles came out from the philosophers Sergey Bulgakov, Nikolay Berdyayev, the economist Mikhail Tuhan-Baranovskiy, publishers Pavel Milyukov and Nikolay Iordanskiy, historian Vasily Klyuchevskiy. Articles about music and arts were also frequent in the magazine.

Remarkable publications of the magazine became possible thanks to the high professionalism of its staff members who had literary talents and deep scientific knowledge. One of them, Angel Bogdanovich, was not only an outstanding editor but also an excellent publisher. The real masters of literary translation were Lidia Tuhan-Baranovskaya and Maria Kuprina-Iordanskaya, her first husband was the writer Alexander Kuprin, the head of the magazine’s fiction department. Finally, the magazine’s chief editor Fyodor Batyushkov who was the descendant of the famous Russian poet significantly contributed to the success of the magazine.

Though, in 1906 due to the political situation, the «harmful magazine» as considered by the censors was closed, publications of the Mir Bozhiy continued influencing the development of Russian literature, science and culture for a long time.

71-81 766
Abstract
This article reviews Italian public service annonncement campaigns of the 1970-1980s, affecting a wide thematic spectrum: enhancing population cultural level, tolerance and mutual respect, eradicating various kinds of prejudices and the fight against discrimination, health and healthcare, family values. The specificity of the phenomenon of Italian public service annonncement (PSA) involves drawing attention to the most acute problems of society and the search for their solutions. In addition, tools and means of influence result from current social trends and ongoing events. This makes it possible to assume that PSA, in addition to its main task - to regulate human behaviour model, is a kind of an expert system addressed by the individual in the search of his real self, which is the search of national and personal identity. The search for national identity for Italy is highly relevant both in the indicated period and today, due to a number of historical, ethnographic and cultural factors, as well as the linguistic picture of the country. Analysis of the topics of PSA, their implementation, methods and mechanisms of influence, as well as the effectiveness of a particular campaign in a certain period and conditions, provide an opportunity to draw certain conclusions about how the country is positioning itself at the European and world level.
82-95 525
Abstract
Starting from some ideas of H. Wolflin, O. Spengler pointed out an interesting problem of correlation between the evolution of art and social evolution. Regardless of the realness of their observations and conclusions, the idea of searching and analyzing such correlations seems to be very fruitful, and especially in the context of preliterate culture surviving due to archeology. This paper, drawing on the empirical archaeological data related to so called Incised and Stamped Pottery Cultures (ISPC) of Early Hallstatt period (XII-IX centuries BC) of Carpathian-Dniester region, aims to consider and verify the ideas of H. Wolflin and O. Spengler. For this purpose, and basing on the previously established by the author fivephase evolution scheme of ISPC of Carpathian-Dniester region (including such a key component of ISPC as Sakharna-Soloncheni culture), the dynamic of fine pottery ornamentation of these societies is analyzed. The analysis demonstrates that the evolution of pottery ornamentation of ISPC started from a minimal number of ornamental patterns and moved towards increasing their number. The parallel tendency was the increasing of the ornamented square of pots. These processes, as well as the innovativeness and openness to external influences, peaked in the fourth phase of Sakharna-Soloncheni culture; this phase was also the time of its greatest prosperity.
96-104 633
Abstract
The article observes public speaking skills as a socio-cultural phenomenon in the traditional Abkhaz society at national and individual levels. The topicality of the study lies in analyzing certain functions and genre modifications of oratory tradition among Abkhazians. In our considered opinion, public speaking is an integral element of the life of Abkhaz people, an essential phenomenon for understanding the Abkhazian worldview, their culture and attitude to reality. Such analysis might be vital for the reconstruction of a holistic «portrait» of the Abkhazian ethnicity, understanding the character, intentions, mentality of its representatives. The aim of the study is to analyze the specific functions of oratory tradition for the Abkhaz society. The task is to classify its main functions; to consider genre modifications of oratory tradition aimed at harmonization of the society; to determine the role and importance of the speaker in the traditional Abkhaz society. On the basis of the research conducted, the author comes to the conclusion that in a traditional Abkhaz society is oratory performed a number of socially significant regulatory and ideological functions, namely, ordered intercultural interactions, coordinated the resolution of political and socially important issues, worked as a value-regulating mechanism. At an individual level, by mastering the art of speaking in public, Abkhazians realized natural social needs, the need for communication, socialization and creative activities.

RESEARCH ARTICLES. INTERCULTURAL COMMNUNICATION

105-114 855
Abstract

The article is devoted to studying the problems of integration of the Islamic religion representatives into the indigenous Sweden society. The relevance of the study is provided by several factors, including an increase in the pace of migration, an intensification of the role of the «Islamic factor» on a global scale and in the countries of the Scandinavian region, an increased level of secularization of modern society in Sweden, etc. The latter factor often entails ignorance of religious rules and norms by members of society, including Islam, which can lead to uncomfortable situations, misunderstandings, disagreements and the growth of contradictions. It is the matter of interest that such «isolation» of Swedes from religion as a whole leaves room for migrants to practice their own religion in Swedish society. At the same time, religious and cultural rules and rituals undergo changes, tuning in to certain cultural filters and adapting to the everyday life of Swedes. In order to identify difficulties in the integration process, a number of differences in social and cultural rituals are analyzed, as well as the place of immigrants and their values in the modern society of the country. At present, not only external factors that affect the specific characteristics of modern society in the Scandinavian countries (values, norms, preferences, lifestyle, etc.) are changing, but also significant changes are taking place within the societies of these countries themselves. Taking these changes into account creates prerequisites for the development of a successful integration process, allows you to predict the reaction of people to different processes and events, thereby preventing a clash of sides and setting the direction of cultural and integration policy.

The media in its close interaction with various components of intercultural communication play a crucial role in the processes of international and interregional integration, as an essential communication link for the whole region of the Nordic countries and contribute to solving relevant to the region the problem of finding the optimal balance between different models of ethnic politics.

115-125 711
Abstract
In recent years, the situation with the Russian language presence in the CIS and foreign countries has changed. Statesmen of range of former Soviet republics in their plans to involve schoolchildren and students in further development of relations with Russia and encourage the use, the Russian language in their work, consider the possibility of the labor market expansion, closer cooperation in the sphere of education in Russian largest universities, and of science partnership with Russian scientific institutions. Europe, Asia and Africa face an increase in interest in the studying of the Russian language. Homever, its position declines in some countries, for example in Germany. Russian was a compulsory course in public schools of former socialist countries till 1990, but after the collapse of the socialist system, their governments abandoned this practice. But in recent years Russian language is gaining popularity among students, for example, in Poland and the Czech Republic. The Chinese, South Koreans and the Indian people also show interest in studying Russian language, literature and culture. En Africa Russian is spoken by the graduates of Russian universities and people who worked with Russian partners. Due to positive changes in the Russian economy, its business relations with foreign partners, and the need to communicate in Russian when working together, there is some increase in the number of foreigners who choose to study the Russian language. En addition, this is often associated with the desire to learn Russian language in order to embrace national Russian values.

RESEARCH ARTICLES. CULTURE & ART

126-134 1479
Abstract

An appeal to the novel “Poor Lisa” by Nikolay Karamzin in an extensive cultural and historical context provides an opportunity to pose a question on the transmission of culture, its “vertical” dimension. This makes it possible to distinguish between the characters according to their cultural types: Liza is a person of “soil”, endowed with ancestors’ sacred knowledge, while Erast is a man of «culture» out of touch with the ground. In this regard, it proves to be relevant not so much the social inequality of the characters, as noted by the researchers, as their different worldview, attitude to nature, love, etc. Parallel with the Russian folklore tradition, lyrics, where the concept of «love» is represented through the lexemes «sweetheart», «soul», «heart» are also challenging in this respect. It is to this archaic knowledge, the heritage of centuries, that Liza, the main character, is attached. Separation from love, a broken heart in this context is equivalent to the loss of life. Based on such representations, Liza’s act is considered from a different angle: death is the only possible outcome for the heroine, for her heart life. In the typological aspect, it is fruitful to refer to Montaigne’s Essays, to his statements on heart life, which is to a great extent consistent with the life of nature. At that time, Montaigne’s philosophy was well known to Russian literary figures.

The methodological basis of the study includes structural-typological, comparative, and system-complex (culturological) research methods, ensuring a comprehensive approach to the analysis of the artistic text and making it possible to show the national space in Karamzin’s novel. The results may be interesting to both philologists and cultural scientists, and can also be used in courses on the history of Russian literature.

135-143 669
Abstract
The image of Simon Ninheimer — the opponent of scientific and technological progress — is described by A. Azimov in the story «Galley Slave». It is used to develop the idea of resistance to mechanization, which is now finding increasingly supporters due to the increased influence of information and communication technologies in general and artificial intelligence and robotics in particular. The historical and conceptual foundations of neo-luddism are linked with modern trends calling for a gradual, controlled innovation. It is noticed that the ideas of the luddites have been preserved in romantic literature and transformed into neo-luddism in the 20th century. The theorists of this movement use philosophical concepts of different epochs (e.g. Socrates, J.-J. Rousseau and M. Heidegger) to confirm the legitimacy of their own status. As a result, in the 21st century more moderate areas of struggle against scientific and technological progress are actively developing under the influence of postmodernism. For example, the slow movement is growing strength, and its supporters are trying to slow down the pace of life and are calling for a thoughtful, responsible attitude towards emerging technologies. The positions underlying the slow movement are in tune with the dromology of P. Virilio and the slow philosophy of G. Fleistad. However, neo-luddism has social status of counterculture, but the situation can be changed due to the rapid and sometimes uncontrollable development of technology.
144-154 721
Abstract
This article is dedicated to methodological problems of intertextual relations studies which appear during the research of primary sources. The subject matter stands at the joint between several branches of knowledge: Religious studies, Cultural studies, Philology and Celtic studies. In this article, we make an attempt to find the most adequate methodological approach for the detection and description of intertextual relations. The source for our experiment would be an Irish primary source — Apgitir chrábaid, the earliest surviving Christian prose tract written in Old Irish. Moreover, the article contains a brief analysis of existing hypotheses which attempt to explain what exact Christian texts, written in Latin, influenced the structure and content of this treatise in particular: P.P. Ó Néill — John Cassian; T.O. Clancy and G. Márkus John Cassian and Basil the Great; A.A. Korolev — Isidore of Seville and John Cassian. Then we make critical remarks about the methodology of identification of said influences on Apgitir chrábaid chosen by those researchers and on the language of scientific description used by them. It is proposed to use methods developed within the theory of intertextuality as a more correct approach for marking and description of intertextual relations. The use of the intertextual description in working with primary sources is shown by the example of the analysis of the fragment from Apgitir chrábaid (§ 8). The result of the analysis is the hypothesis that the source of influence, the intertext, for the indicated fragment in addition to the text of the Holy Scripture, is the work «Homilies on Ezekiel» by Pope Gregory I the Great. As an additional argument in favor of this hypothesis, a brief review of the veneration of Pope Gregory I, recorded in Irish church literature, is given.
155-169 902
Abstract

Based on theoretical studies of the phenomenon of cultural memory (M. Halbwax, F.R. Ankersmit, J. Zerubavel), the author analyzes the essence and mechanisms of commemoration in contemporary Russian military-themed cinema. The relevance of the study is due to the wide public interest in domestic military cinema, its social significance and the growing number of commemorative practices (which include cinematographic works) in honor of the anniversary dates of victory in the Great Patriotic War. The empirical base of the study is founded on the analysis of broad Russian film distribution and the domestic film festival industry 2000-2019.

Working with the phenomenon of the past, military cinema inevitably creates its on-screen interpretation, which, as a result of wide circulation, becomes an act of memory policy aimed at the formation and maintenance of social identity. In this connection, the aim of the study is to identify the axiological component of Russian military cinema of the 21st century by analyzing the value programs of the movie heroes. Tracing the essence and logic of the formation of the Soviet political «myth of war» in cinema, the author comes to the conclusion that this paradigm of war record representation is still present on the screen, taking the form of commemorative cinema. The axiological opposition to this trend is the segment of revisionist cinema, which does not reproduce the Soviet myth, but reinterprets and problematizes the events of the military past. The analysis of revisionist films reveals new options for representing the traumatic military experience on the screen. Finally, conclusions are drawn about the axiological component of commemorative and revisionist cinema.

BOOK REVIEWS

170-171 557
Abstract
Book review: Masloboeva O.D. 2020. Filosofsko-antropologicheskii proekt rossiiskogo organitsizma i russkogo kosmizma v kontekste sovremennoi istoricheskoi situatsii: monografiiа [Philosophical and anthropological project of the Russian organicism and cosmism in the context of modern historical conditions: monograph]. Moscow: INFRA-M. 390 p. (Nauchnaia mysl’). DOI 10.12737/1070337 (In Russian).
172-179 634
Abstract
Book review: Kozhokin E.M. 2020. Revoliutsiia i ee preodolenie: ocherki istorii rossiiskoi mental’nosti [The revolution and its overcoming: essays on the history of Russian mentality]. Moscow: MGIMO-Universitet. 270 p. (in Russian).

SCIENTIFIC LIFE

194-196 503
Abstract
On June 19-20th, 2020, MGIMO hosted a traditional, already eighteenth inter-university seminar “Linguistic and Cultural Studies: Analysis Methods, Learning Technology”. More than sixty participants took part in the event: guests from the Russian regions (Bashkiria, Novosibirsk, Krasnodar, Smolensk, Ufa, Kaliningrad, Ryazan, Tver, Kurgan), as well as from Moldova joined MGIMO professors. The seminar turned eighteenth anniversary in a new online format. Among the topics covered at the conference are the problems of linguodidactics and translation studies, as well as the questions related to intercultural communication and the scientific research on it.


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ISSN 2541-8831 (Print)
ISSN 2619-0540 (Online)