This article, for which the focus is an intellectual autobiography, examines the development of worldview of a young person who graduated from the Moscow University Faculty of Philosophy in 1970. I...

The citation index of Thomas Kuhn’s work may strike any imagination. “The Structure of Scientific Revolutions” is undoubtedly a twentieth-century record-breaker in the field of philosophy of science in terms of such a scientometric parameter. But such fame has been bitter in many ways and placed a heavy burden on the author. For several decades he has been the target of the harshest and most severe criticism. Often the concept of “normal science” and the “scientific revolution” as a “Gestalt switch” (...) was declared ridiculous and absurd. The paper analyses three lines of criticism of Kuhn’s concept: the first came from practicing scientists, the second from specialists in the philosophy of science, and the third from the field of social epistemology. Reproaches about the political bias of Kuhn’s concept were taken to extremes, since his views were widely popular. In our opinion, Kuhn should be called a victim of spontaneous hypercriticism. This circumstance did not allow him to improve the original model of scientific revolutions. In this respect, replacing the concept of “paradigm” with the concept of “disciplinary matrix” was a step backwards, not forwards. However, it is impossible to deny that in the field of the historiography of science, he acted as a real reformer. With the courage of Don Quixote, he defended the rights of historical reconstruction, the preservation of the historical past of science, which should not be completely assimilated within the framework of the modern system of knowledge. His motto was – “penetrate the minds of other people who lived in the past.” He boldly argued that in the process of historical development, science changes not only ideas about the object of knowledge, but also the reference of its ideas and concepts. Such a formulation of the question has not yet been fully reflected in modern epistemological concepts. (shrink)

Kant’s account of moral feeling is continually disputed in the secondary literature. My goal is to focus on the Religion and make sense of moral feeling as it appears in this context. I argue that we can best understand moral feeling if we note its place in Kant’s concerns about the possibility of moral conversion. As Kant notes, if the new, morally upright man is of a different character than the man he used to be, then it remains unclear how (...) the new man can properly bear the debts of his old self. To address this issue, we need the presupposition that a person is both continually conscious of her empirical, bodily identity and capable of experiencing a felt recognition of the moral law; without this presupposition, I argue that fair punishment and the just payment of evil debts is impossible. (shrink)

Kant’s moral proof of the postulate of immortality in the Critique of Practical Reason is often dismissed as a failed argument that trades on illicit conceptual shifts. I argue that Kant’s argument is more interesting and less problematic than is usually thought. I first examine its role in the second Critique’s Dialectic. I then point out that the standard interpretation, according to which the argument presupposes God’s intuitive grasp of the moral equivalence between the disposition to pursue holiness and its (...) attainment, faces a number of philosophical and textual problems. I offer an alternative reading that avoids these problems. In particular, I stress the importance of Kant’s mathematized conception of the relationship between infinite progress towards an ideal goal and its attainment and argue that appealing to this conception allows Kant to meet a well-known criticism that his proof illegitimately substitutes the endless progress towards holiness for holiness itself. (shrink)

The article touches upon the problem of concept “Indian tradition of rationality”. The author recalls a genetic link of the concept with Western philosophy. She notices the complexity of its application to Indian material, gives some examples in which the use of Western concepts of “reason”, “methods of cognition”, etc., leads to a distortion of the text’s meaning, and when an application of the criteria of Western logic to analysis of Indian philosophical discourse gives the readers an impression of its (...) absurdity. However, according to the author’s mind, the difficulties with the applying of Western concepts are not the sufficient grounds to abandon them. This conclusion follows from the presence of comparative studies by researchers belonging to both traditions, who compare successfully Western and Indian kinds of logico-epistemological type of rationality. The difficulties just bring up the questions about new instrumental concepts and methods of comparative studies more adequate to Indian culture. There are two possible directions for the studies of Indian tradition of rationality in connection with the revision of contents of the concepts in Western post- modern philosophy. In the first of them the concept of rationality can not to be used at all, then the phenomenology of practices of Indian discourse becomes the subject of research, i.e. the discourse images in different contexts, its explicit and implicit foundations and aims, which aren’t coincide with Western ones. In the second case Indian rationality can be analyzed in accordance with the criteria of transversal reason and transversal rationality. (shrink)

Many Kantians dismiss Kant’s claim that we have a duty to promote the highest good – an ideal world that combines complete virtue with complete happiness – as incompatible with the core of his moral philosophy. This dismissal, I argue, raises doubts about Kant’s ability to justify the moral law, yet it is a mistake. A duty to promote the highest good plays an important role in the justificatory strategy of the Critique of Practical Reason. Moreover, its analysis leads to (...) a new perspective on Kant’s conception of moral objectivity. (shrink)

For the past decade and a half, Aristotelians have tried to counter the following criticism articulated by John Doris: if we look at personality and social psychology research, we must conclude that we generally neither have, nor have the capacity to develop, character traits of the kind envisioned by Aristotle and his followers. Some defenses of Aristotelian virtue ethics proceed by trying to insulate it from this challenge, while others have tried to dissipate the force of Doris's critique by showing (...) how virtue ethics and recent findings in personality psychology share surprisingly extensive common ground. For example, in their 2009 books, Daniel Russell and Nancy Snow both argue that the empirical research regarding character complements - not undermines - virtue ethics. Specifically, each argues that the situationally sensitive Cognitive-Affective Personality System developed by Walter Mischel and Yuichi Shoda can be integrated into a virtue ethical moral philosophy and theory of character. In this paper, I raise several objections to their attempts to use the CAPS model to rehabilitate Aristotelian virtue ethics and argue that, as a result, this model has not been shown to have the promise Snow and Russell allege it has. (shrink)

Religion within the Boundaries of Mere Reason remains one of the most opaque of Kant's published writings. Though this opacity belongs, partly, to the text itself, a key claim of this article is that this opacity stems also from the narrow lenses through which his readers view this text. Often read as part of Kant's moral philosophy or his universal history, the literature has thus far neglected a different vantage point on the Religion, one that does not refute the utility (...) of these lenses but complements them. This paper places the Religion alongside parts of Kant's corpus that it is less typically paired with, namely his natural history writings—in particular, his writings on the concept of race and the development of the human races. I argue that by doing so, we can shed much light on Kant's infamous claim that there is a radical evil in the human species. More precisely, we will come to appreciate that this evil is not, as it is usually understood, a static property or fixed characteristic of human beings. Instead, radical evil concerns a dynamic, changing defect in human nature that increasingly threatens our aspirations to collective moral perfection. (shrink)

Two generalizations can be made regarding Kant’s account of imperatives of skill and prudence. First, Groundwork 4:412-420 remains the locus classicus for reconstructions of Kant’s view. Second, it is widely agreed that Kant’s treatment of these imperatives is confusing, incomplete, and lacking the requisite argumentation. I agree that Groundwork 4:412-420 lacks a clear and defensible account of imperatives of skill and prudence. But while many think this spells trouble for Kant’s theory of non-moral practical imperatives more generally, and that Kant (...) never really clarified his position, on this point I differ. Groundwork II is problematic, yet it’s not Kant’s final word on the non-moral imperatives of practical reason. In fact, there is substantial and broadly overlooked evidence that Kant later rejected much of the account he laid out in this text. This evidence is found primarily in the third Critique, and I explore this evidence and the virtues of Kant’s revised account. (shrink)

The goal of the following paper is to consider the development and viability of Korsgaard’s latest work, Self-Constitution. More specifically, I show that we should understand this book as a response to difficulties with both Korsgaard’s argument in 1996’s The Sources of Normativity and Korsgaard’s earlier attempts to explain what marks the difference between realist and constructivist approaches to ethical theory. I begin by focusing primarily on her essay “Realism and Constructivism in Twentieth-Century Moral Philosophy.” Here I consider exactly how (...) Korsgaard defines constructivism and what makes constructivism different from realist approaches to ethics. I then examine Korsgaard’s two most influential books – Sources and Self-Constitution – in light of this definition. Looking at Sources I argue that there is a serious problem with Korsgaard’s attempt to develop a constructivist moral theory; more specifically, I expose a tension in Korsgaard’s claim that ethical concepts both are rooted in a philosophy of action and exist only as the solution to a concrete practical problem. I then turn to Self-Constitution. I show that a different account of the distinction between realism and constructivism is proposed, one that not only seems designed to avoid the problems that plagued Sources but also forces Korsgaard to significantly revise and retreat from earlier attempt to distinguish constructivism from realism. Finally, I argue that obstacles remain for even this more moderate account. -/- . (shrink)

Laura Papish’s Kant on Evil, Self-Deception, and Moral Reform is an ambitious attempt to breath new life into old debates and a welcome contribution to a recent renaissance of interest in Kant’s theory of evil. ​The book has eight chapters, and these chapters fall into three main divisions. Chapters 1 and 2 focus on the psychology of nonmoral and immoral action. Chapters 3, 4, and 5 focus on self-deception, evil, and dissimulation. And chapters 6, 7, and 8 focus on (...) self-cognition, moral reform, and moral progress. I shall begin with a brief summary of these chapters. Then I shall turn to commentary. (shrink)

Immanuel Kant's _Groundwork for the Metaphysics of Morals_ is widely regarded as one of the most influential works in the history of moral philosophy. Indeed, any student of ethics will soon encounter a translation of the book, although trying to read it is likely to cause bewilderment. What, one may ask, is Kant trying to say? This book provides the answers. Here, seven highly regarded teachers and scholars of Kant's ethics offer remarkably clear explanations of the most important concepts in (...) the _Groundwork_: the good will, happiness, duty, hypothetical and categorical imperatives, the Formula of Universal Law, the Formula of Humanity, and freedom._ Contents:_ Preface _The Good Will_, Nataliya Palatnik _Happiness_, Anne Margaret Baxley _Duty_, Laura Papish _Imperatives_, Tamar Schapiro _The Formula of Universal Law_, Kyla Ebels-Duggan _The Formula of Humanity_, Japa Pallikkathayil _Freedom_, Lucy Allais About the Contributors Index. (shrink)

In his later moral writings Kant claims that we have a duty to cultivate certain aspects of our sensuous nature. This claim is surprising for three reasons. First, given Kant’s ‘incorporation thesis’ − which states that the only sensible states capable of determining our actions are those that we willingly introduce and integrate into our maxims − it would seem that the content of our inclinations is morally irrelevant. Second, the exclusivity between the passivity that is characteristic of sensibility and (...) the spontaneous quality of our free will that operates throughout Kant’s philosophy seems to preclude that any such cultivation is possible. Third, Kant’s specific arguments concerning why we are obliged to cultivate our sensible nature are unclear. The goal of this paper is to address each of these three concerns and thus fully explain Kant’s theory of the moral necessity of cultivation. (shrink)

Throughout his writings, and particularly in Religion within the Boundaries of Mere Reason, Kant alludes to the idea that evil is connected to self-deceit, and while numerous commentators regard this as a highly attractive thesis, none have seriously explored it. Kant on Evil, Self-Deception, and Moral Reform addresses this crucial element of Kant's ethical theory. -/- Working with both Kant's core texts on ethics and materials less often cited within scholarship on Kant's practical philosophy (such as Kant's logic lectures), (...) class='Hi'>Papish explores the cognitive dimensions of Kant's accounts of evil and moral reform while engaging the most influential -- and often scathing -- of Kant's critics. Her book asks what self-deception is for Kant, why and how it is connected to evil, and how we achieve the self-knowledge that should take the place of self-deceit. (shrink)

The globalization in business and tourism becomes crucial more and more for the economical sustainability of local communities. In the presence of an epidemic outbreak, there must be such a decision on the policy by the host community as whether to accept visitors or not, the number of acceptable visitors, or the condition for acceptable visitors. Making use of an SIRI type of mathematical model, we consider the influence of visitors on the spread of a reinfectious disease in a community, (...) especially assuming that a certain proportion of accepted visitors are immune. The reinfectivity of disease here means that the immunity gained by either vaccination or recovery is imperfect. With the mathematical results obtained by our analysis on the model for such an epidemic dynamics of resident and visitor populations, we find that the acceptance of visitors could have a significant influence on the disease’s endemicity in the community, either suppressive or supportive. (shrink)

In his account of human perception in De Anima, Aristotle focuses on characterizing special perception and its objects. This focus, however, comes at a price, as Aristotle neglects to explain why incidental and common objects should also be called objects of perception. My goal is to reconstruct on Aristotle’s behalf a plausible account of why the commons can rightly be called objects of perception.

The urgency of the research is determined by the intensive development of new technologies as prospects for further development of society. Art accumulates intellectual, spiritual, material, and value heritage of previous epochs and determines the perspective features of the future. Vocal art is thereby one of the manifestations of individual ideological rethinking. Variety as a socio-cultural phenomenon combines different styles of music, genres, types, and aspects of professional music and vocal performance, which is important for the research in the context (...) of social rethinking of future social development. Objective of the article is to determine specifics of pop vocal art, its long-term development as an aspect of integration into society of the future. The article reflects the essential characteristics of the concept of pop vocal art and worldview perception of art as an aspect of the future society. In the process of research a method of abstraction, descriptive method, methods of analysis and synthesis were used in the theoretical substantiation and characterization of pop music as a vocal art. The method of generalization and systematization was used to determine the results of the research. The results became the basis for asserting the importance of pop vocal art in the further development of society. (shrink)

У статті розкрито механізм інтегрування культур села та міста в єдиний процес - творення радянської української культури, що ускладнювалося існуванням значних відмінностей між ними соціального, побутового та етнічного характеру. Пошуки оптимальних шляхів для подолання цих розбіжностей спричинили загострення протистояння різних політичних сил, мистецьких напрямків, позицій окремих діячів, яке часто із культурної сфери трансформувалося в площину політики.

Interest in the Eastern religions has arisen for a long time and has not subsided so far. A common picture of many Ukrainian cities is the people in orange clothing who chant the Hare Krishna mantra and actively promote religious literature. These are members of the International Society of Krishna Consciousness, an Indian religious movement that has become more popular outside India than in India itself.

The article is a response to the criticism of “conceptual Eurocentrism” expressed in the paper by A.A. Krushinsky at the Round Table on the Geography of Rationality on April 25, 2019. It deals with the main thesis of A.A. Krushinsky that in cross-cultural philosophical studies the Western conceptual matrix currently defines a single conceptual space for all participants, the language of Western philosophy acts as a trans-civilizational language in the world philosophy. The author of the article agrees with the main (...) thesis, however she does not agree with its arguments and two consequences: (a) it is necessary to consider Western rationality as “rationality as such,” and (b) there is no multi-polarity in the current philosophy though there are a lot of traditions of philosophical discourse, which identify and articulate themselves by means of Western conceptuality (that is why we may speak on so-called “philosophical geography” only). The arguments do not stand comparison with the search of future philosophy, conducted now by the world philosophical community. The search is aiming to equality of all philosophical traditions. The article proves that conceptual Eurocentrism is not so much a danger as an objective necessity. Its spread is a manifestation of tendency to creative mutual borrowing of cultural inventions. The tendency always had place, but it was not so obvious in the conditions of preglobal history. The consequences of Krushinskiy’s thesis are refuted by the evidence that the Western philosophers denied to use the concept universal rationality and began studies of the various types of rationality. The author also provides an example of the creative borrowing and use of European concepts “rationality,” “positive knowledge,” “truth,” “scientific method,” “hypothesis” by the Indian philosopher of science B. Seal, who applied these concepts to the Indian material. (shrink)

Modern Ukrainian religious studies have received considerable attention from studies of mystical scholars. This can be explained by the fact that it is mystical cognition that enables a person to fully discover his spiritual potential and experience the experience of union with the Absolute. At the same time, a number of unanswered questions arise that may be the object of study. Above all, various religions offer their own ways of attaining the mystical state and differently consider the following problems concerning (...) it: the essence of the Absolute and being, the place of man in the world, the nature of his relationship with God, the main purpose of mystical practice, practical ways and basic means of union with the Absolute. There are no contemporary scientific publications on the typology of mystical experience. (shrink)

Despite its uniform appearance, the cerebellar cortex is highly heterogeneous in terms of structure, genetics and physiology. Purkinje cells (PCs), the principal and sole output neurons of the cerebellar cortex, can be categorized into multiple populations that differentially express molecular markers and display distinctive physiological features. Such features include action potential rate, but also their propensity for synaptic and intrinsic plasticity. However, the precise molecular and genetic factors that correlate with the differential physiological properties of PCs remain elusive. In this (...) article, we provide a detailed overview of the cellular mechanisms that regulate PC activity and plasticity. We further perform a pathway analysis to highlight how molecular characteristics of specific PC populations may influence their physiology and plasticity mechanisms. (shrink)

In response to the growing needs of proficient English speakers, the Taiwan Ministry of Education officially included English in standard elementary school curriculum since 2001. English courses at elementary level were extended from the fifth grade to the third grade since the fall of 2005. It is significant to examine whether the educational reform has positively affected students? learning attitudes. Through focus group interviews and questionnaire survey at six elementary schools, this study explores students? attitudes towards learning English and ways (...) of instruction. Results indicate that students generally have strong interests in English?speaking people and desire to spend time in English?speaking places. A majority of students enjoy learning English through games, and compliments from teachers or parents boost their learning motivation. The finding also reveals that English education in Taiwan seems to have directed students towards a narrow viewpoint of foreign cultures since many students associate foreigners with English?speaking people only. Finally, many students experience learning English at cram schools, which indicates the important role cram schools play in students? extracurricular learning. (shrink)

Logic; Islamic philosophy; Islam--doctrines.

З огляду на проблеми сьогодення, коли в умовах глобалізації у взаєминах людини з природою відбуваються зміни негативного характеру, надзвичайно актуальними є питання, пов’язані з екологічною освітою. Показано, що першорядною є проблема екологічної відповідальності за соціальну, економічну, політичну, технічну, наукову, культурну та інші види людської діяльності. Актуальність також обумовлена і потребою у філософському осмисленні екологічних знань, які повинні нести у собі ставлення до природи як до найвищої цінності, що сприяє формуванню життєво-ціннісних орієнтацій сучасної людини. В статті здійснюється філософське осмислення еволюції екологічної (...) освіти, з’ясовуються закономірності, сутнісні і змістовні характеристики її становлення. Через узагальнену інформацію здійснюється спроба побудови розгорнутої картини її розвитку, а також підкреслюється провідне значення екологічної освіти у прогнозуванні майбутнього. Розкривається потреба реформування системи освіти відповідно до реалій і вимог сучасного життя. Перед освітою постає складне завдання: спрямувати людину і суспільство на те, щоб природа з об’єкта діяльності перетворилася на носія найвищої цінності – цінності життя. Отже, екологічна освіта повинна формувати відповідальність людини за природу, за її збереження та оновлення і реалізовувати її життєву цінність на практиці. Доведено, що лише взаємозв’язок технократичного, гуманітарного і екологічного мислення має забезпечити систему освіти, що діє на випередження, де екологічні питання будуть засадничими в навчальних програмах усіх без винятку спеціальних та професійно орієнтованих дисциплін. (shrink)

Шлях розвитку сучасного суспільства зорієнтований на постійне збільшення виробництва і споживання природних ресурсів, що спричиняє глобальну екологічну кризу. Показано, що формування нового способу взаємин людини, техніки й природи є першочерговим завданням сучасної цивілізації. Актуальність також обумовлена і потребою формування життєво-ціннісних орієнтацій, зокрема відповідальному й гуманному відношенню як до природи, так і до людини. В статті розкрито, що саме життєво-ціннісні орієнтації сучасної людини мають сформувати екологічно зорієнтовану діяльність. Ціннісні орієнтації, які становлять внутрішню складову свідомості, а також самосвідомості людини, відіграють значну роль (...) у спрямованості її життєво-ціннісних орієнтацій, тому що, орієнтуючи на них свої вчинки, особистість у результаті утверджує своє свідоме ставлення до сущого й належного. Відповідно до цього пізнання, яке є активністю людського розуму й здатне отримувати науково вивірені етичні та інші знання, повинно пояснити норми морального належного по відношенню до природи, які необхідні сучасному суспільству, де відбуваються якісні зміни глобального характеру. Зважаючи на це, доведено необхідність принципово нових підходів до екологічної освіти – вона не просто має інформувати про стан речей, а навчати дієвим засобам протидії екологічно-кризовим явищам в усіх сферах життя. Ці питання підпорядковані тому, щоб суспільство стало відповідальним за екологічні наслідки науково-технічного прогресу і щоб надати йому соціально-гуманістичного спрямування і саме через екологічні знання, які трансформуються в процесі освіти в життєво-ціннісні орієнтації. (shrink)

The following study examines the critical interplay between ideology, mediated reality, and the role that individuals’ perceptions, beliefs, and actions play in this process. In doing so, the study delves into the examination of the way power structures and dominant narratives proceed into influencing cultural expression and, consequently, impact social action. It is thus argued that in contemporary society, the Situationist notion of “the spectacle” has replaced any understanding of reality and created a reified social world dominated by commodities that (...) reinforce dominant ideologies and determine subjective perceptions. Furthermore, the paper addresses the impact of this mediated reality on personal subjectivity and agency. Drawing on Marx’s metaphor of the “camera obscura” as ideology, it argues for a transformative “reversal of perspective” that changes how individuals view and engage with their environment. Ultimately, this study underscores the profound impact of “the spectacle” on social relations, ideology, and perception. It argues for a transformative and creative approach that challenges individuals to resist the grasp of the spectacle, reclaim their agency, and develop new perspectives for interacting with the world. The extensions of the gaze subtly refer to the basis of economy manifested as “false consciousness” reflected by the camera obscura as an inverted image but readjusted with the tools of spectacles and mirrors within the reflective apparatus. (shrink)

Стаття присвячена дослідженню зарубіжного досвіду управління розвитком міських агломерацій. Визначено характеристики європейських та світових агломерацій як головних центрів, що акумулюють економічний потенціал країн та дозволяють підвищити рівень їхньої конкурентоспроможності. Встановлено, що відмінності в розвитку агломерацій у світі і в Україні детермінуються різним баченням головних складових системи управління міськими агломераціями. Систематизовано головні моделі управлінських систем агломерацій у зарубіжних країнах, виявлено їхні негативні та позитивні сторони. Наведено приклади європейського та світового досвіду регулювання розвитку агломерацій. На основі виявлених особливостей моделей управління міськими агломераціями (...) за кордоном обґрунтовано пропозиції з формування та впорядкування національної системи управління міськими агломераціями. (shrink)

У статті досліджено питання про сутність та завдання міського управління як суспільно значущого явища. Виявлено принципи міського управління в контексті диференціації визначення міста як територіальної, економічної та організаційної системи. Встановлено чинники, які впливають на об'єктний склад системи міського управління та обумовлюють напрями її подальшої трансформації. Розроблено положення з формування та закріплення організаційного підходу в забезпеченні ефективного міського управління, який передбачає розгляд міста як складноструктурованої, організаційної системи та використання поряд із традиційними практиками управління містом принципів, правил і процедур організаційного управління. На (...) основі виявлених особливостей організаційно-економічного блоку забезпечення міського управління обґрунтовано пропозиції з його вдосконалення з урахуванням сучасних умов. (shrink)

Досліджується становлення та розвиток традиції християнської койнонії-громади як діалогічної форми соціальності: від часів перших століть християнства до доби Нового часу. Доведено, що койнонійний тип соціальності, сформувавшись за часів есхатологічного християнства, заснований на безпосередньому не відчуженому спілкуванні в модусах «учнівство» та «братство». За мірою трансформацій християнської громадськості та перетворенням християнства на державну релігію, відбулося посилення діалогу церкви з державою. Християнська громадськість перетворилася на об’єкт впливу й патерналістського піклування з боку означених комунікуючих сторін. Поступово формалізувався й статус православної громади, яка набула топологічних (...) і організаційних конотацій: спочатку у зв’язку з її міським розташуванням; потім із приналежністю до певного храму як осередку громади. Це й ознаменувало поступовий перехід від громади-койнонії до сучасної моделі – громади-парафії. Більш точно, враховуючи не лише парафіяльний, а й рівень єпископської громади – громади-еклезії. Що й узасадничило семантичний «дрейф» – від співжиття християнської громадськості як братерства у бік його топологічного (такого, що прикріплено до певного місця) або ж організаційного (такого, що прикріплено до організації) функціонування. Реформація поєднала християнську соціальну традицію з новою капіталістичною реальністю. Реформаторський рух XVI ст., ставши бунтом проти клерикалізму та ієрархічного свавілля, утворив новий консенсус між кліром та громадою, намагаючись відтворити первинний зразок громади-койнонії. У подальшому відбулися процеси адаптації протестантських церков до новочасних умов – у діалозі як з державою, так і з громадянським суспільством. (shrink)

The article considers the notary as a subject of active influence on the formation of postmodern democratic legal society, mediation of law in postmodern society. The constitutional definition of the state in this status does not mean that the civil law consciousness prevails in all spheres of its life. Since no person in society does not need this type of legal service, it is quite objective to consider this community as a subject whose activities should be considered as a subject (...) of formation not only of legal consciousness of society but also a leading subject of civil society. This primarily applies to private notaries, who, unlike public notaries, are fully responsible for the results of their activities. After all, a legal duty is organically combined with the responsibility from which the public notary is released. The study of the manifestations of the phenomenon of postmodernism is relevant to many disciplines, including - the philosophy of law. Modern research shows that classical types of legal understanding do not satisfy the understanding of postmodern law, which indicates the need to find a fundamentally new concept of law. The author concludes that the solution to this problem should be sought in the field of theories that offer new approaches to the interpretation of legal texts; this area is considered the most promising. (shrink)

The symbolic world of Corpus Areopagiticum is considered here from the prospect of the dichotomy in similar and dissimilar similarity (the images). The dissimilar images are divided into decent, average andthe distant ones. The similarand dissimilar images of Areopagite describe the world system by cataphatic and apophatic approach. The apophatic one seems to be noticeably more important for the author, as in denial (what God is not) or as in applying of unworthy predicates concerning him, his fundamental transcendence and unknowability (...) become more expressive. Similarand dissimilar images are both the divine names from the NewTestament and the Old Testament respectively. They allow the agent of cognition get closer to the understanding of the universe structure. The divine names correspond to the so-called universal concepts which are considered in the works of contemporary linguistic conceptualistics. Anthropomorphic and zoomorphic characters of the Scripture belong to the dissimilar images, such as parts of the human body, wild animals etc. The most distant dissimilar images should be analyzed as the manifestations of the human passions applied to the naming or description of God. This is the most controversial aspect of the dissimilar similarities because of their provocative character for a profane reader. Thomas Aquinas, one of the ardent admirers of the Corpus, has denied it while considering the theory of images ("The Mystical Theology"). The works of Areopagite have become an example of combining the Eastern and Western traditions ofargumentation which still remains within the framework of the Christian experience. (shrink)