Philosophical Examination of Ideology

Abstract

The work of the institute seminar was a significant event in the life of the Institute of philosopher RAS last year. The scientific life in the sectors took various forms. Discussions are held, reports of experts, specialists from other institutes and departments are discussed. However, the significance of the general institute seminar is different. The most acute issues of modern philosophy are discussed, the states of affairs in a specific area of philosophical knowledge are analyzed, the expert assessments are given, the results of various theoretical activities are summarized.

This valuable initiative is related to the activities of the scientific adviser of the Institute of Philosophy, RAS, well-known scientist, academician Abdusalam A. Guseynov and the Director of the Institute, academician Andrei Vadimovich Smirnov. During the year, they made a lot of efforts to ensure the high level of discussion on topical issues of philosophical knowledge. Every meeting opens with an introductory speech of A.A. Guseynov, which gives a detailed description of the scientific activity of each speaker. This is followed by a report that is discussed by the seminar participants. Thus crystallized valuable theoretical material, which in turn provides an impetus for the formulation and solution of new problems. Undoubtedly, this form of activity allows the Institute to perform complex tasks assigned to it at the present stage.

This year, the problems of ideology were of particular interest at the seminar. Ideology was considered not only as a special social and anthropological phenomenon. Its varieties and features at different stages of history were traced. Presentations were made by distinguished experts of our Institute: V.M. Mezhuev, E.Y. Soloviev, V.A. Podoroga, A.V. Rubtsov. The reports showed that the Institute conducted a serious theoretical work related to different areas of philosophical knowledge. It also became obvious that researchers are interested in acute issues of social life, they are ready for a comprehensive discussion of the huge scale of the ideological experience of past eras and modernity. As a result of the exchange of opinions and controversy different aspects of this phenomenon revealed: the genesis of ideology, its inherent social functions, its attitude to science, various forms of its existence, the value nature of ideology, its latent (“shadow”) forms.

Ideas about the localization of ideology along with politics, science, culture, economy were supplemented by a diffuse model of “included ideology”. The degradation of ideology and the danger of geopolitical myths, ethnic intolerance and revived historicist speculations, etc., were discussed.

The actualized historical and philosophical material had a special value. It was connected not only with the XVIII century, when later educators turned the doctrine of ideas into a moral and political doctrine, emphasizing the active nature and the practical importance of ideology. Due attention was paid to the concept of Marx and Engels, who criticized the ideology as false, illusory consciousness and illustrated the understanding of history in the German classical philosophy of the first half of the XVIII century – the first half of the XIX century.