The growing interest in the genesis of new philosophical forms brings about the need to consider the appropriation of  Pico della Mirandola’s dignitas hominis by the transcendental ontology. In contrast with Heidegger’s fundamental ontology, this approach suggests a return to metaphysics and revives the interest to subjectivity in the context of the real world (Husserl). This view of the problem substantiated the use of optics of the philosophy of culture. The study aims to qualify the source of transcendental ontology of the subject in the context of the debate on the impact the Renaissance had on these ideas. To this cause, the following objectives need be reached: 1) to describe the specificities of the adepts’ of transcendental ontology view of the issue of subjectivity; 2) to substantiate the idea of the European philosophy’s turn to transcendental ontology through the prism of the philosophy of culture; 3) to identify the key predeterminants for thematization of the ontological region of consciousness in the Florencia Platonism through seeing metaphysical features of dignity as formed in the Renaissance culture; 4) to determine the meaning of the new understanding of man in the Renaissance culture for the modern formation of the subject. The study is based on the studies and commentaries of transcendental ontology by the philosophers of the 20th century. The study was carried out on the materials of the work of Pico della Mirandola and Marsilio Ficino to allow for a comparison of original wording and further commentaries. The methodology is based on critical analysis of philosophical works and the axiomatic and deductive method. As a result, the author assumes that it is the Renaissance understanding most visibly visualized in Pico’s writings on dignitas hominis that serve as an implicit basis for the transcendental ontology of the subject. In his works dignity not only takes on an ethical but also ontological dimension to illustrate the possibilities for a human of the new era. Pico follows his teacher’s, Marsilio Ficino’s, suit and manifests consciousness of the ontological structure of the world as evidence and thinking of human being as an ultimate principle of freedom, knowledge and action. Determinedness of the human image as a basis for the understanding of dignity gives a Renaissance connotation of the subject leading to an integrated characteristic of the concept, including the principle of absolute freedom and the transcendental sphere of consciousness, as its very special ontological area of responsibility.

The article provides a comparative analysis of the phenomena of Old Testament prophets and shamans against five key aspects: their social status, calling, intermediation, fortune-telling and magic, rituals and cosmogony, and gender. Numerous previous attempts to compare Old Testament prophets, shamans and sorcerers were based on the superficial likeness between these phenomena and often were mere descriptions. The key challenge for such a comparison is the choice of sources: Biblical texts were written in prescientific times, and information about shamans was recorded by ethnographers and anthropologists. This study is an attempt to systematize approaches to comparing Biblical prophets with shamans and to conduct an independent comparison of these phenomena. To achieve this goal, it was necessary to solve the following tasks: 1) to consider the problems inherent in the sources; 2) to clarify the basic concepts characterizing these phenomena, and to substantiate the adopted definitions; 3) to highlight the grounds for comparing the Old Testament prophets and Siberian shamans; 4) to conduct a comparison according to the selected criteria; 5) to establish the similarities and differences. The results of the study are that despite the external similarity of the socio-religious role of prophets and shamans, because of their role in mediation between the human and spirit worlds, they have nothing else in common. Firstly, shamans are integrated into the social architecture of their society (tribal affiliation), and prophets can be both part of the social system or be in opposition; the social status of shamans is higher than that of prophets, since they possessed not only spiritual but also real power. Secondly, the calling of prophets and shamans is different (the former, according to the Bible, are called by God for a specific mission, the latter, according to their experience, are tormented by spirits, forcing them to serve them). Thirdly, unlike prophets, shamans are involved in the sphere of magic and divination, and their actions themselves are inscribed in a certain ritual. Fourthly, the cosmological models of prophets and shamans have nothing in common. Finally, gender diversity among shamans is not only wider than among prophets, but also mobile. In conclusion the authors attempt to find a family resemblance between these phenomena are a crude generalization leading to a number of theoretical misunderstandings.

Conceptualizing the (post)Roman heritage mythological terms in the culture of the socalled Anglo-Saxon world (Pax Anglo-Saxonica) is of relevance due to the importance of the hidden meanings of the political vocabulary so as to carry out their adequate translation. It is significant for the translator to not  miss references that reveal illocutive aspects of the communicative acts in the process of intercultural communication. The subject of the study are cultural meanings which anchor the mythological attribution of Roman (post)imperial heritage in the Anglo-Saxon political culture symbolism, and their association with respective Byzantine-Russian versions during the translation process. The research is based on the cultural constructs of the lexical-semantic group (LSG) under the umbrella concept of Pax Anglo-Saxonica, containing an expressed or latent component of the Roman heritage political mythology. In addition, in the multicultural multilingual space there is a need for specialized translation dictionaries of cultural terminology. The study aims to find ways of translating the meanings of the respective cultural terms from English into Russian for effective intercultural communication. The research objectives are: 1) clarification of the specifics of the political mythology of the Roman heritage in the modern English-speaking culture; 2) justification of the choice of the linguoculturology optics for studying the semantics of the LSG Pax Anglo-Saxonica cultural terms; 3) definition of the key stages and techniques for constructing a new imperial myth about the historical role of the Anglo-Saxon world; 4) identification of the studied LSG key subgroups, their description and exemplification; 5) identification and analysis of framework concepts of the geopolitical approach which sets conditions for formation and assimilation by mass consciousness of the political myth about the Roman heritage. The methodology of the study is based on a linguoculturological approach to the political vocabulary analysis, and the multimodal analysis translation strategy. Cultural terms were selected by target sampling. Their translations, verification and dictionary entries construction involved the comparative method. Semiotic analysis was used to translate into the Russian language the meaning of some literary-mythological images. The method of case study helped to identify the most successful translation options when transferring extralinguistic meanings of cultural terms from the source language to the target language. The research resulted in the selection and systematization of the politically charged LSG Pax Anglo-Saxonica cultural terms. The need for the heuristic approach in the technical expert translation of these concepts was confirmed on concrete examples; key LSG subgroups (cultural space, power, reflexivity, reverse translation) are highlighted; and the authors have proposed directions for further research on Roman Chimeras transformation in the political vocabulary and mass consciousness. The findings of the cultural studies of Pax Anglo-Saxonica LSG group are compiled by the authors into a dictionary. The paper considers the most significant examples of its entries providing a detailed analysis of cultural terms, such as: ROMAN LIMES, AETERNA URBS, RAX ROMANA, CARMARTHEN, CAPITOL (space subgroup); KING ARTHUR, KNIGHTS OF THE ROUND TABLE, PRIORITY MANAGEMENT (power subgroup); GEOPOLITICAL TYPE, MYTH, PROTO-GEOPOLITICAL CHARACTERISTIC (a subgroup of reflexes); BYZANTINE, TRANSLATIO IMPERII, CONSTANTINOPLE (a subgroup of reverse translations).

The relevance of addressing the topic of national identity is determined by the high dynamism of changes in the societal space of the modern world, which complicates and at the same time requires constant study of the peculiarities of self-identification of certain social communities. From this point of view, the identity conflict in modern Greece provides extensive material that, despite the breadth and depth of the available research literature, has not yet been thoroughly analysed. The purpose of this study is to examine the dynamics of change in the religious component of Greek identity influenced by the processes of European integration and to explore how so-called European values are adapted to at the national level. To this end, the following objectives are achieved: firstly, the main value-based and religious attitudes of the Greek society in the process of national identity formation are identified; secondly, the available data on the current religious situation in the country are systematized; finally, the cases of identity conflict in modern Greece are analysed. The research materials include legal documents, data from official websites, as well as media materials. The research methodology relies upon axiological and hermeneutical approaches; the method of narrative analysis and discourse analysis are also used. The results of the study show that Helleno-Christian formula is an attempt to bring together Greek identity with its antique background and the Church claims to have a significant role in the process. The historic overview as well as modern statistics and data indicate patterns in the identification of the people of Greece, including cases of identity conflicts. The research substantiates the conclusion about the significant impact of the erosion of the religious component on the process of transformation of Greek identity. European legislation, as well as the ‘European values’ promoted by Brussels, have led to the deterioration of the key formula of the ‘Helleno-Christian synthesis’, which defined the design of Greek identity during the time of gaining independence and has retained its influence until recently. While, on the one hand, there is an expansion of rights and freedoms, including religious freedoms, on the other hand, a model of society imposed from above and often not supported from below, which was not typical for Greece before its accession to the EU, is being established. The identity conflict associated with this process polarises society and leads not only political parties but also religious institutions to revise their value-based and ideological platforms.

The article offers an analysis of the philosophical and cultural ideas of Paul Virilio, Marshall McLuhan and Jean-Luc Nancy in relation to visual images, the accelerated rotation of which affects the perception of value systems and space. Since consciousness and thought arise in duration, under the pressure of speed, reflection is forced to give way to reflex, and in fact, to visual images as less demanding by nature to the procedures of assessment and interpretation. This makes us look at visual cultural studies as something that allows us to actualize the inevitable transformations in thinking and communication. The need for research is justified by the degree of influence of the visual with its system of symbols and signs on the social construction of ideas today. Thus, depending on the content, images can act both for the benefit of creative forces and from the position of destructive forces through images of violence, aestheticization of the disgusting and the transformation of the figure of the repulsive into the attractive. Just as the glance at the flesh, the cut and the wound on the pages of the first anatomical atlases responding to the demand of medical practice changed the perception of the pathological state of the body, the impression industry, operating inseparably from the constant image stimulation, blurs the line between the norm and deviation and leads to pathologies of thinking in terms of value systems, speed of information processing and distortion of the communication channel. The purpose of the study is to analyze visual images as tools to seduce the viewer, simplifying access to the control over their beliefs, desires and needs and, as a result, leading to the transformation of  world perceptions. In addition, the mechanisms by which visual images influence the viewer’s imagination are analyzed. The objectives of the research include the analysis of the mechanisms of visual images’ influence on the viewer’s imagination, in terms of the pressure they exert on the social fabric; an analysis of Paul Virilio's ideas regarding the dissemination of technological images and how they work in the context of architectural objects in the urban environment; identification of key positions of Marshall McLuhan linking the problem of high visual intensity with technical means of information transportation; updating Jean-Luc Nancy's thoughts on the visual image based on Nancy's approach to the symbol of the cut as a broken intimacy that betrays the state of modern society, and the ecstasy of openness that makes society overly hospitable to everything new and, accordingly, extremely vulnerable. Scientific novelty is determined by the author's interpretation of the area of convergence and intersection of time, space, technology and how they manifest themselves in images that affect almost all aspects of human experience. An important part is devoted to the relationship of the concepts of Paul Virilio, Marshall McLuhan and Jean-Luc Nancy with the dramatic events of their lives that ultimately influenced the conclusions they came to. The study also includes essays, articles and interviews, which were not previously featured in reviews, in addition to, a dedication to Virilio from John Armitage and Ryan Bishop, a dedication to McLuhan from Janine Marchessault and one of Nancy's conversations with Philippe Lacoue-Labarthe. The methods of selection, systematization and cultural interpretation of the analyzed sources were used. Additionally, the biographical method was applied to establish a connection between the authors and the concepts addressed in this study. The similarities and differences of the ideas discussed were compared in the vein of a comparative approach, and the procedure for interpreting texts was based on a hermeneutic approach. As a result, it was possible to systematize the key positions of Paul Virilio, Marshall McLuhan and Jean-Luc Nancy on the evaluation and forecast for the functioning of visual images in culture. All three authors consider visual images as new and anti-proportionateto-human. Thus the axiological framework of viewing them as a cultural threat arises. Virilio stresses the antihierarchical nature of the new images, while McLuhan and Nancy emphasize their speed of dissemination and aggressiveness, respectively. 

The article critically examines the criteria, norms and procedures of indexing that have become popular in recent years and are being increasingly implemented in all spheres of life. The research focuses on the assessment of criteria for determining the capacity of states based on quantitative data processing. It is argued that indexing often implies tools for influence which lead to deepening inequality, unhealthy competition and disagreements between countries. According to the author's hypothesis, the hidden purpose of such classifications is stigmatization and favoritism, the desire to exert political influence, deliberately underestimating the status of some states and elevating others. On the one hand ranking is used to emphasize the inequality of countries, to define friends and foes, or inner and outer circles, and on the other hand — to reduce everything to the same criteria, standards, without proper analysis and understanding of the context, historical background, national, cultural, religious characteristics. The materials for the study were documents submitted by various organizations, including non-governmental organizations, as well as analytical and research works devoted to the analysis of the ranking phenomenon. The purpose of the study is to analyze the tools for manipulation carried out through the assessment of the capacity of states. The research tasks include: critical understanding of ranking mechanisms, disclosure of the manipulative potential of game strategies with indexing, as well as the analysis of individual cases indicating the dubiousness of the procedure for evaluating the capacity of states based on the analysis of statistical data, without taking into account the entire complex of components that determine state effectiveness. The study shows that under the guise of indexing, manipulative practices and soft influence on the states political regimes are used, thus entire regions become the object of evaluative and subjective judgments of the so-called experts.

The article describes the city sculptures, monuments and buildings of Elista that have a Buddhist theme. The relevance of the research of city streetscape semantics through the optics of religious studies and culturology is due to the role of communal traditional values in modern culture. The identified objects of art including urban and religious buildings, and various art forms such as hurals, stupas, gates and fountains actualize traditional values at a new level, and directly and indirectly through symbolic forms indicate the religiosity of the Kalmyks. The study aims to catalog and describe through the prism of Buddhist references street art objects with a Buddhist component. It requires achieving the following objectives: 1) to systematize key specificities of secular and religious meanings in urban objects of art; 2) to describe the spatial location of the objects identified, including their location, appearance and origin; 3) to analyze religious, especially Buddhist, semantics. The materials for the study were firstly street art objects in Elista; secondly, an extensive body of religious literature containing data on the semantics of religious images visualized in the studied monuments, as well as religious practices that concentrate knowledge about the studied symbols and images; thirdly, data described in catalogues and research literature to date were also used. The main method of studying street art objects was direct observation and the descriptive method. The participant observation method was used to acquire necessary knowledge from the field of religious practices. As a result of the conducted research, a unique description of art objects currently existing in the urban environment of Elista, containing references to Buddhist themes, was obtained. It was established that currently there are twenty-nine single and complex art objects containing references to Buddhist themes in Elista. Whilst conclusions on the analysis of the empirical material obtained cannot be fully generalized and partially remain private conclusions on individual objects. At the same time, they allow the following conclusion to be drawn. Firstly, the objects in question have been systematized and cataloged.Three large groups of monuments were identified: 1) pagodas, park and garden sculptures and fountains; 2) temple and city sculptures; 3) other forms of urban art objects. The last group includes architectural forms that have predominantly secular content (city gates, and a monument to the repressed people); however, even here the presence of visual images of religious content was discovered. Secondly, the location, appearance, and authorship of the studied art objects do not speak of their systematic introduction into the urban environment; rather, a number of objects represent a permissive reading and interpretation of canonical religious semantics. Thirdly, the national-cultural form of Kalmyk Buddhism, embodied in art objects in Elista, contains references both to its other interpretations (in India, China and Mongolia), and to the archaic layers of the autochthonous cultures of the regions where Buddhism is spread. There are also motives of secondary mythologization of religious subjects within their adaptation to secular cultural symbols with an educational value.

In his recently published work Suicide and Euthanasia in Bioethics: History and Modernity A. V. Antipov looks into the phenomenon of suicide from a philosophical perspective and utilizes interdisciplinary approach to analyze the perception of suicide in social and health studies. The book opens with the definitions of the main concepts of the work: suicide, assisted suicide, euthanasia, etc. and distinction between them. Then the author investigates the transformation of these concepts over centuries of ethical and philosophical studies to bring the reader to the notion of modern debate around morality of assisted suicide and euthanasia. The concepts are viewed in the context of the notion of freedom as a philosophical category and consider recent data in the medical science, including genetic research findings. Contemplating historical attitudes to suicide the author focuses on Europe from antiquity to the Middle Ages and Modernity: he traces the reasons of making away with oneself shifting from the domain of religious sins to psychiatric disorders. The fourth chapter is devoted to suicide as perceived by the Orthodox church and Christian philosophers, Solovyov, Berdyaev and Dostoevsky. The fifth chapter deals with the modern understanding of the right to die. The controversial issue is not only viewed as a dignified death but is opposed by world health institutions and communities, as well as by the European Court of Human Rights. The chapter specifically focuses on the right to euthanasia granted to children and legally incapable people. Another concept discussed in the chapter is the so-called living will to be carried out in case of the person’s unconsciousness. The last chapter gives a comprehensive understanding of problems of life and death in modern society. The book is worth reading for it combines a scientific historical and philosophical approaches with clear and vivid narration, allowing readers to form their own perception on the everdebatable problem of suicide and euthanasia.

The article is devoted to clarifying the logic and stylistics of the negativistic feeling, which is often the driving force behind critical research – irritation which can dictate a presupposed conclusion about the quality of work, the author's personality, and their position or worldview. Irritated criticism is characterized by simplifying and coarsening stylistics, including up to the level of direct insults. Such an approach blurs the criteria for accurate reading and blocks access to understanding. This problem is a special case in the general problem of the understanding of literary text and the methodology of its analysis. The relevance of studying this phenomenon is determined by the controversial nature of its frequent use in scientific works on cultural issues as an implicit background. The article analyzes the techniques of irritated interpretation. It is shown how the intention of denunciation generates the desire to go beyond the written text into the subtext and discover in it the author's alleged true motives, feelings and desires. At the same time, these ‘discovered motives’ inevitably become attached to the text. Some words, taken out of context and studied under the socalled psychological microscope aimed at finding evidence, are overemphasized acquiring a meaning that is not inherent in them. Further, evidentiary quotations are given selectively and in a reduced form. The article provides a number of examples of distorted interpretations using N. K. Bonetskaya’s multi-page critical reviews and studies devoted to, the writer of the Silver Age, E. K. Herzyk.  Rendered in advance, the verdict about E. Herzyk's anti-Christianity and her desire to destroy Orthodoxy in Russia logically inevitably entails the discovery of evidence of this in every manifestation of her life and work. This article aims to overcome the untruth about one of the brightest creative personalities of the Russian Silver Age, whose life and whose creative aspirations, despite the complexity of the spiritual path, unfolded in the vein of Christianity. As a result of the conducted research, the conclusion is substantiated about the need to attract the attention of the community of cultural researchers to greater methodological correctness in the process of searching for arguments that support or refute one or another point of view, taking into account the presence or absence of an ‘irritated’ approach. Furthermore, research in the field of humanitarian knowledge is associated with certain difficulties. This requires additional efforts from a serious scientist. Reflection is needed on ensuring the balance of evaluative judgments that inevitably arise when analyzing the issues under study. Even for authors recognized by the academic community, the logic and style of irritation is a challenge.