In studying the characteristics of cultures, literature and philosophies of different civilisations, scholars inevitably wish to search for similar and different features inherent in particular societies. When this desire is completely justified, then certain questions remain that require additional reflection. For instance, studying the cosmological and natural-philosophical ideas inherent in Ancient China and among Native Americans, scholars face the difficult task of logically substantiating the possibility of studying these two diametrically opposed cultures together. This article is based on a general (...) overview of cosmological and philosophical views in Ancient China and among Native Americans. The authors reveal an important principle that significantly distinguishes “non-Western” cultures and manifests itself in ethnocentrism and harmonization of the relationship between humans and nature. The article gives a logical basis for research and attempts to answer the question of whether Feng shui practice is a science or a religion. To this end, the legacy of Yang Yunsong, one of the founders of the teachings of Feng shui, a Chinese sage of the Tang era from Guangdong province, was studied. The authors suggest that Yang Yunsong’s cosmology, geomancy, and Feng shui practice have much in common with the worldview of indigenous peoples around the world, particularly the Native Americans. (shrink)

The authors formulated and answered the question, “Can emerging technologies in education be evaluated from the point of view of morality?” The authors used the methods and tools of normative ethics and cognitive psychology, i.e., the comparative-analytical method, axiological method, as well as tests, questionnaires, correlation research, observation method, and bibliographic method. The essence of the concepts “moral worth” and “disclosedness of arete” as the supreme moral value, were investigated. A universal and defining criterion for moral evaluation was established, i.e., (...) the actions disclosing arete are of the supreme value from the point of view of morality. The authors found that the influence of emerging technologies on the disclosure of arete creates moral paradoxes. Moral paradoxes exclude the possibility of developing objective and sustainable criteria for evaluating emerging technologies and, accordingly, their acceptance/prohibition in the education sector. Uncertainty is asserted as a criterion for evaluating emerging technologies. (shrink)