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Chernobrov A.A. Theory of Naming and Cultural Mentality.

The author claims to present a new approach to the problem of correlation between Language and Culture arguing that no valid and complete linguistic theory can be created within the framework of pure linguistics. Complete and systematic analysis of any linguistic theory and language as its object must be philosophically, epistemologically and psychologically motivated.

The author considers a number of different and contradictory philosophical positions, which could determine the structure of linguistic theory. Some of these positions can be overlapping and interdependent. The choice usually constitutes the methodological basis of a linguistic theory. A merely psychological choice, e.g., is also the answer to the question of biological or cultural predominance in formation of human language competence and performance. The second part of the article is devoted to the systemic analysis of language.

Reznikov V.M. Philosophical and Methodological Analysis of Statistical Methods in the Context of Correct Applications.

The paper examines the adequacy of some fundamental concepts of statistics and statistical methods for the analysis of causality. It is demonstrated that the concept «statistical independence» is inadequate for the analysis of causal connections. First, causal independence is of an essentially asymmetrical character, whereas statistical independence is symmetric. Secondly, the concept of statistical independence cannot be quantified. The author also argues for the inadequacy of the concept of «statistical independence» for applications, as this concept is fundamental and thus logically indefinable through other concepts. At the same time, this concept can be given only limited explication through the coefficient of correlation, and in practice independence is frequently accepted on intuitive grounds.

The author offers arguments for the inadequacy of the methods of

confidence intervals and maximum likelihood for applications. The inadequacy of these methods is explained by the fact that they are not intended for repeated experiments and do not provide a check for the stability of the discovered statistical characteristics.

The method of confidence intervals employs a semantically incorrect probability of a constant reaching a fixed interval. In fact, this probability is 1 or 0. The author argues for the adequacy of Mises’ statistics for applications and concludes that the role of methodologist is to explicate scientific concepts, which are not quite substantive, and study real problems and not the problems of possible worlds.

Zinevich O.V. Evolution of the Christian Attitude to Plato’s Eros in Early Losev.

The paper considers the contradictory interpretation of Plato’s Eros in the early works by Losev. Within the framework of the Christian attitude Losev proceeds from the complete acceptance to almost complete rejection of Plato’s discourse on love. The evolution of Losev can be described as a transformation from a disciple whose aim is the secret innermost knowledge of the teacher’s writing to a judge who wants the accused to plead his paganism.

Eremin S.N. The Students of Novosibirsk State University on their life, studies, and values.

On the basis of concrete sociological research the author draws conclusions concerning the material and inner lives of the students at Novosibirsk State University, their orientations in life, attitudes towards science and possible emigration. The author examines the current state and developmental tendencies of NSU as a reproductive mechanism for the scientific community of the Novosibirsk Science Center under the conditions of crisis. The author considers internal and external conditions necessary to maintain the high value of science within the student community.

Bazarova L.V. The Problem of Property Right in Relation to Possession, Disposition and Use.

Drawing on Articles 296 and 298 of the Civil Code of the Russian Federation, the author analyzes the problem of understanding of the right of possession, disposition and use. The author discloses the main contradictions in the relations of property arising from the inadequate development of these concepts and suggests a legal solution which would be conducive to the effective functioning of organizations (enterprises, institutions).

Razumovsky O.S. The Concepts of Meso-Object and Meso-System. The Notions of the «Middle» in the Contexts of Measure, Extremality and Symmetry Theories.

In ordinary consciousness and theoretical thinking the notions of the «average» and the «middle» are either considered to be intuitively clear or given a more strict interpretation with the help of the «golden mean» and the idea of something being located between certain poles. The latter is the case in the «temperance ethics» and optimality theory. However, the development of calculus mathematics brought into focus the question about the nature and essence of its objects which are essentially different from the transfinite objects of classical mathematics and mechanics. This led to the introduction of such concepts as «meso-object» and «meso-system» (see the works of Academician N.N. Yanenko). In its turn, all behavioral systems (B-systems) are essentially meso-systems. B-systems are objects of living nature, society and mixed (hybrid) systems like ecological and human-technical systems. Our goal is to develop the notions of «the middle», «meso-object» and «meso-system» which are important for the analysis of B-systems in system studies and optimology.

Let’s consider the relations between the «big», «small» and the «middle». The first two are the poles, alternatives, negations of each other and symmetrical complements. The «middle» is intermediate and expresses the moderation of quality, location between the two poles, boundaries of something, etc. Following W.R. Ashby, they can be evaluated by an observer using such a criterion as the quantity of information required to describe a given system. The corresponding evaluations will be subjective and will force us: 1) to aggregate or represent knowledge in the form of schemes, symbols, principles, various models, world pictures, etc.; 2) to include in the description interactions with the environment, while preserving the idea of the autonomy of the object; 3) to take into account the subjectivity of the agent of an action; 4) to take into account its axiology; 5) to consider the objective and initially inevitable indeterminacy and ambiguity of the description conditioned by the capacities of the actor and the determinacy/indeterminacy of the concepts of the «big», «small» and «middle», (for example in the spirit of A.J. Bahm’s dialectics.)

Now we shall turn to the problems of the «largest» and «the least». They are both always «the largest of…» and «the least of…» a finite set as a meso-object». In the language of mathematics their equivalents will be «maximum», «minimum» and their generalization «extremum». The extremalization of the big and the small gives us the notions of the biggest and the smallest. All these concepts have been analyzed by the author in the monograph «Extremal Regularities» (Novosibirsk, 1988).

Wedging in between the big and the small, the «middle» has two meanings: a) a depersonalized value of some general characteristic of a given set, like the arithmetical mean, when we also level the droopings of diversity, such as odd and even; b) when we have an axiological critetion of the value of characteristics, the middle has the meaning of «the optimal» and acts as a value measure of the quality, its «norm». On the whole, the relations under study are chain-like in form: the biggest > the big > the mean > the small > the smallest, and in the spatial centered form it is : boundary (edge) < periphery < the midship = center > periphery > boundary. The center here is part of the midship and the whole chain and its elements within itself can be also differentiated with the help of the same concepts ( like «the largest and the smallest of the middle, etc.»)

In the systems with guidance the graph of the intensity of guidance is a «И-like» curve.

In the meantime, in the preference structures of B-systems instead of a formal symmetry of these concepts, there is a bias, drift towards the biggest / smallest by such criteria as utility, satisfaction, value, beauty, economy, good, evil, etc. It should be noted that this is the result of the internal action of various objects, including their dynamics. In synergetics value thresholds (maximums and minimums) of the spatial scales of the systems are fixed, not allowing any transitions to stability and coherence (with the probability of chaos). Synergetics also explains causes and mechanisms of the «order/chaos» transition. On the whole, the categories of the biggest and the smallest, similar to the «middle» form external measures and frames for the big, middle and small.

It should be underlined that the size characteristics (big and small size) of the systems are dependant on both extensive factors (quality, a number of subsystems, levels, etc.) and intensive factors (diversity, measure and speed of development, causality, functional invariants and goals, rhythm, focus of action, etc.)

Several important considerations are:

1. The world of behavioral systems is a world of finite and complex self-organizing meso-objects located between the megaworld and microworld.

2. The semantics of the concepts under study is generated by the meaning of the concept «many», (set), expanding and deepening it. This consideration makes these concepts convenient instruments for the description of big and complex systems, meso-systems and their variation, B-systems.

3. The full meaning of the concepts under study is, on the whole, generated by ontology in the form of a family of concepts, such as «big», «quantity», «quality», «measure», «difference», «certainty», «polarity», «extremality», «symmetry / asymmetry». This meaning finds subjective and relative expression in our approaches to the understanding of differences between our concepts in accordance with possibilities, aims and goals of their use in theory and in practice.

4. The analysis shows that it is possible to get rid of the indeterminacy and ambiguity in the definition of the conceptual limits under study through: a) the concept of the «middle»; and b) concepts of «the biggest» and the «smallest». In mathematics, applied sciences and research, planning, decision-making, projections, it is possible to do this with the help of the concepts of the «statistical» or «arithmetic» middle, “maximum”, “minimum”, “extremum” and others as well as through the methods of harmonization and finding the «average» in the «golden mean». These approaches and methods are universal.

5. The activity and functioning of B-systems is a «big system», as it contains many elements, multiple connections and factors, etc. which may exist both in «normal» (averaged by certain criteria) and in extreme (limiting) conditions, and can also be intentionally directed towards them. The counter-reactions of B-systems may be alarmist.

6. The development of cybernetics led to a clear understanding of the principle of limitations imposed on the parameters, characteristics and laws of functioning of meso-systems (and B-systems) and on their representation in concepts and models.

Kamelchuk E.N. Dikj in Homer Poetic (Axiological Premises the Formation of the Theodicy Problem in the Ancient World Outlook).

The time period between the IX-VIII and VI-V centuries B.C. introduced an important change in the hierarchy of Weltanschauung values in ancient Greece. It can be viewed as an axiological premise of the formation of the theodicy problem: during this period the demands for the morality of the world order and justification of patent injustice are becoming more and more pressing.

The axiological significance of such notions as «regularity», «rationality» and «just world order» in the texts which came down to us from ancient Greece, can be shown in different ways. The aim of this article is to demonstrate the change in the sphere of use of the word d°kj in the light of the further development of the notions of the just world order in the mytho-poetic tradition.

In the Iliad the word d°kj is used 5 times and the corresponding adjective d°kaiov   – 3 times, in the Odyssey d°kj – 11 times and d°kaiov   – 13, i.e. the overall frequency of usage has grown threefold. At the very least, this testifies to the increased interest in the word d°kj and its derivatives.

In the Iliad d°kj is used in two meanings: 1) court verdicts and decisions (16, 542; 18, 508) and 2) custom, norm of everyday life, «the right» in the socium (16, 388; 19, 180; 23, 542).

The first meaning of the word and some details of the scene pictured on Achilles’ shield (see Il., 18, 497-508) are evidence to the fact that, as early as in Homer’s poems, the word d°kj has certain connections with the field of law.

Further evidence to this connection is the passage about people who «use force to make «crooked» decisions on the agora (skoliv kr°nwsi q™mistav), (thereby) banishing the «truth» (d°kjn), without fear of the Gods looking (qeòn ípin)» (Il., 16, 387 ff; see Hes. Op., 221, 250, 264). D°kj is used here in the second meaning: what is banished is the truth, order, social norm, custom. It should be noted: 1) the look of the Gods is focused on those who violate order in the society; 2) a clear opposition of d°kj to the word b°a (power, might) the meaning of which is close to the original meaning of the word Äbriv (domination, violence).

The adjective d°kaiov relies on the second meaning. For example, Agamemnon must be dikaiçterov in the future (19, 181), i.e. to act in greater accordance with d°kj (custom, order, social norms), as Athreus’ behavior towards Achilles was patently outside the boundaries of the norm. This is why the behavior of Agamemnon, clearly violating the order of the socium, is characterized by the word Äbriv (1, 203 and 214).

In the Odyssey d°kj is used twice to denote verdicts and decisions (3, 244; 11, 570) and twice to denote customs and regulations (9, 215; 14, 84).

The remaining seven cases of the use of d°kj in the Odyssey do not always overstep the boundaries of the second meaning, but they clearly expand it. Odyssey, for example, offended none of his subjects by word or deed, as is the custom (Ó t’ st° d°kj) of the kings (see 4, 690-692). The narrative here is about social realia, the behavior of the kings – not about what the kings ought to do but about what they usually do. Thus, we can list the third meaning of the word d°kj (which appears only in the Odyssey) which is custom, usage, habit, the usual course of events, one’s lot, irrespective of the norms accepted in the society.

There is no sharp distinction between the second and third meanings (see 11, 218; 19, 42-43; 24, 254-255): they both refer to some norm, but in the first case it is «the right» (in society), in the second case it is the usual (in general). This expands the sphere of meanings of the word d°kj: and, in our opinion, this explains more frequent use of this term in the Odyssey compared to the Iliad.

Out of the seven uses of the word d°kj in the Odyssey in the meaning «custom», «habit», (with more or less intersection with the second meaning) five correspond to the formula “d°kj st°” (4, 691; 11, 218; 14, 59; 19, 43; 24, 255). It shows that d°kj is beginning to cross (both meanings and the mode of phrase formation) with the word q™miv. This fact allows Hesiod to deify Dike as one of the Horae, daughters of Zeus and Themis, protectors of the regularities of the Seasons and vegetation cycle (see Theog. 902).

Sc™tlia žrga (14, 83) of Penelope’s wooers opposes d°kj as a social norm (18, 274-280). This is why in the Odyssey the notion Äbriv and its derivatives are applied mainly to wooers. The adjective d°kaiov is still dependant on the second meaning of the word d°kj. But we should note a more clear-cut opposition of what corresponds to the social norm and what is opposite this norm.

Conclusions:

1. There is growing interest to the term d°kj and its derivatives from the Iliad to the Odyssey which is connected with the expansion of its semantic field.

2. The new meaning will play an important role in the deifying of Dike (a daughter of Zeus and Themis) as one of the protectors of the regularity of the yearly cycle.

3. The opposition of d°kj to Äbriv becomes more clear from the Iliad to the Odyssey (Äbriv of Agamemnon is criticized less than Äbriv of the wooers).

4. As early as in the Iliad, the word d°kj has some connection with the field of law. This is important, as in «Works and Days» the Goddess Dike will primarily preside over courts and trials.

5. In the Iliad (see 16, 384 ff) it is pointed out that banishment of custom d°kj from the society is punished by some kind of misfortune (floods), which originates from Zeus himself (cf. Od., 14, 83-84). This scene foretells the formation of a new world outlook. As early as in Gesiod’s texts, these views are considered significant.

Karpovitch V.N. The problem of empirical significance for theoretical concepts in legal studies.

The author examines the most general properties of law as a rational system. Legal rules are conceived as theoretical prescriptions and can be interpreted and reinterpreted in the legal process. This perspective allows to look at the theoretical concepts in legal studies as empirically significant terms defined both by deontic prescriptions and by the state of affairs that can be subsumed under these prescriptions. The most striking example of the interdependence is the normative definition of a state and its relation to historical descriptions of existing states: the pure logical and prescriptive construction remains empirically meaningless notwithstanding the efforts to connect it to the real historical examples. Science is descriptive, its laws describe regularities of nature and/or society, and a scientific theory has explanatory and predictive power. Law is prescriptive; a legal system has justificatory and coordinative power. The prescriptive nature of law points clearly to the dependence of legal systems and legal concepts on deontic logic, even if on the surface they seem to be analysed in purely descriptive terms. This is shown on the fundamental concept of a legal gap which is usually defined without explicit use of deontic terms. Legal norms could not be true or false because of their prescriptive character, and that is why justice should not be identified with truth, and legal confirmation with empirical confirmation. In particular, state of affairs are not identical to legal findings: the former is described in nonlegal language, the latter in the technical language of law. The very possibility of the subsumption of the states of affairs under the corresponding findings is not a purely logical problem and depends on the existence of appropriate interpretative rules. The legislator cannot be expected to formulate all the rules of correspondence required for the efficient application of law, and the connection of the legal system with the domain of application is largely the task of adjudication. This «open texture» character of formal normative constructs in legal theory allows to draw parallels to the interpretation of the theoretical constructs in science. The gap between normative system and real life is filled by the historical facts transformed to law by a legal authority. In this way new «rules of correspondence» are created which connect normative system to the behavior it is intended to regulate.

Marchinin V.V., Udalova I.V. Interethnic Relations in Ethnically-Mixed Settlements of Khanty-Mansiisk Autonomous Okrug (based on sociological research of 1991, 1994, 1996, 1997).

The authors present some conclusions of their long-term program of study of the state, factors of influence and dynamics of inter-territorial relations in rural settlements with mixed national population (the program headed by V.V. Markhinin). They describe the relationships between, on the one hand, ethnic groups of indigenous population – Khanti, Mansi, Nenets, and, on the other hand, between the local Russian (also Ukrainian and Byelorussian) population, first of all, the population of old-settlers.

Concrete sociological research conducted in the 1990-s, covered 29 settlements located on the territory of the traditional northern production land in 6 (out of 8) districts of the okrug: Nizhnevartovsk, Kondinsk, Surgut, Berezovsk, Oktyabrsk, Khanty-Mansiisk.

Within the general program each research project had its own distinctive features conditioned by the place and, especially, time of the experiment. The program started during the years of «perestroika», before the break-up of the Soviet Union, and covers the whole period of presidency of B.N. Yeltsin, giving a mirror-like reflection of the growth of destructive tendencies of the policy followed by President and his governments which had a negative effect, among other things, on the inter-ethnic relations in the okrug.

In 1991, when «perestroika» was drawing to an end, the authors studied the way of life, ethnicity of the northern people, inter-ethnic relations in connection with the development of new economic relations in the country and in the okrug itself, and the organization of production (cooperative and partnership, including national, joint-stock partnerships, ancestral lands – family possession of production land and others).

The results of the sociological research and other materials, personal observations of the authors showed that the way of life and ethnic self-consciousness of the indigenous northern people can be characterized as affected by crisis.

Representatives of the northern peoples themselves saw the biggest threat to the way of life and integrity of their ethnos in drunkenness and alcoholism, in the destruction of natural environment as a result of the industrial development of the region, in the loss of ethnic and cultural traditions. In our respondents’ view, the inter-ethnic relations were adversely affected by such developments as squeezing of the native-born population from the sphere of traditional trades and isolated cases of disrespect towards their ethnic and cultural traditions and customs.

Although all the above-mentioned events are a cause for concern, the overall situation was quite favorable and perceived as such. The prevalence of the optimistic mood was explained by a promise of the social and economic innovations as part of “perestroika”. Preference was given to the renovated collective and family (ancestral land) forms of the organization of the traditional production activities of the indigenous population and old-settlers.

However, in later years, when «perestroika» was followed by the course of «radical reforms», social and economic consequences of the «reforms» (the decline in production and living standards, unemployment, social stratification, etc.) began to come to the forefront as factors undermining the way of life of the local population, and conditions of the ethnic development of the indigenous people in particular. These factors became most important and caused tensions in inter-ethnic relations.

Later on, as was demonstrated by the research of 1994, 1996 and 1997, the negative role of these factors was continually increasing. They also provoked inter-ethnic tensions, alongside the problem of allocation of «ancestry land», faulty opinions about the existence of «privileges on ethnic grounds» and «fight for power between nationalities», i.e. for representation in the local governing bodies.

Despite these factors contributing to inter-ethnic tensions, the whole sphere of inter-ethnic relations remains very stable. The foundation for the stability is long history of inter-ethnic communities which are characterized by a high degree of ethno-cultural and ethno-demographic interpenetrating of the local ethnic groups and old settlers.

The article shows the dialectical interplay of various factors contributing to the tensions in inter-ethnic relations, and the sources of stability of this sphere originating from the ethno-cultural integrity of inter-ethnic communities; examines the dynamics of this process as a whole.

The source of the stability of inter-ethnic relations, as well as for the opposition to the destructive consequences of the «radical reforms» lies in the development of the system of local government. This process should rely on the cultural traditions of the local inter-ethnic communities, the traditional preferences of the collective (communal) forms of the organization of the production. Renovation of these forms initiated during “perestroika”, should also be taken into account. The final part of the article examines the development of the system of local government.

Markov Y.G. The Basin Principle of the Water Fund Management: Organizational and Legal Aspects.

The article contains arguments for the basin principle of water fund management. It is shown that the combination of the basin and administrative-territorial approaches declared in the Water Code of the Russian Federation, in practice leads to the weakening of the role of the basin management structures in such areas as control and protection of the water objects. The author offers a two-level management system of regional water-industrial systems (on the level of river basins of the 1-st and 2-nd order) which includes the widening of the functions of basin administrations and the degree of their direct involvement in the formation of the state territorial programs of sustainable development.

Shmakov V.S. R.G. Kollingwood’s Philosophy of History.

This paper examines Kollingwood’s notion of the philosophy of history and gives a short summary of his views on the distinctive features of historical knowledge. The author emphasizes Kollingwood’s dual definition of historical understanding as a history of «scissors and clue» (history of compilation) and its subjective interpretation by the historian during his work. From Kollingwood’s point of view, true historical research is «thinking through» historical events, creating a picture of the past using a priori imagination in the process of historical explanation.

Bogatyreva O.A., Shillerov A.E. Modeling of Social Processes: a Hypothetical Way of Origin of Ancestry Based on the Kin Group in Humans.

This paper offers a new method of analysis of the social processes. It allows to study a system in dynamics, using such parameters which are, essentially, the individual characteristics, i.e. the social rank of individuals.

The workability of our original method is shown by its application to the hypothetical emergence of kin, tribe and ancestral relationships in humans. This method allows to compute the relative social entropy index for the socio-demographic processes. It has a good prognostic potential, diagnosing a phase in the social system development and predicting potential furcation points.

Nalivaiko N.V. The Conception of Legal Education: the Problem of Formation.

This paper examines the problems of legal education. The author notes that high expenditure on the police, courts and other judicial and repression structures in support of legal order and consciousness seldom brings about desired effects, and draws attention to the legal education and upbringing. They are aimed at forming a creative personality with intrinsic motivation for self-perfection, development and law observance, who would follow the law for the sake of personal security.

Fofanov V.P. The World History as Reflection of Civilizations.

The development of the conception of civilization is viewed as an act of emergence of the civilization’s self-consciousness. Critically overcoming the subject-centricity of the civilization, the author offers a new grouping of various conceptions of civilizations. He introduces the notion of the reflection of civilizations as a special type of inter-subjective interactions, which are viewed as a most important mechanism of social development determining the regularities of the world history.

Bobrov V.V. Sustainable Social Development: the Economic Aspect.

This paper continues a series of the author’s publications in this Journal on the problem of sustainable social development. Basing his analysis on the needs of man, social groups and society, the author offers a socio-philosophical analysis of economic theories, uncovers the sources of the self-development of economic processes and formulates methodological recommendations from the standpoint of national state interests.

Chernenko A.K. The State of Law: the Problems of Construction.

The author offers an original approach in the framework of the philosophy of law towards the genesis of the state of law, justification of its features and characteristics, and methods of construction. The paper considers the problem of choosing a model of the state of law in modern Russia, offers a new perspective on the relationship of state and person, natural and positive law. Special attention is paid to the methods of legal technology as a methodology of constructing a state of law based on the criteria of effectiveness and rationality.

Simanov A.L. Vaiњeєika Philosophy of nature and modern cosmology: possibels parallels.

In the first part of the paper there is shouh that vaiњeєika philosophy of nature is a conception of “two real worlds” – thing world which is percepted by senses and non-thing world which is percepted only in a special yoge state. That is why paramanavas-atoms belong to non-thing world. Thing world is formal by uniting those atoms into triades. Such a unit determines structure of things as well as well as space, including its three-dimensionality.

Suprun V.I. Political Science under the impact of social transformation.

The main thesis of this article is that under the pressure of social change, the political science can’t remain as the self-perpetuating system, but has to respond to the challenges of shifting cultural and political structures, e.g. Russia lately. The second dimension is that it has to start or continue the dialogue with new social science and interpreting models, e.g. futures studies or cross cultural analysis. The third aspect of the problem is that the traditional categories e.g. ”power”, “ideology”, “state”, “social factors” etc. need to be reinterpreted and looked upon a new.

Shevchenko A.A. The «Learned Ignorance»: Skepticism and Postmodernism.

The article reexamines the well-known phenomenon of the «learned ignorance» and develops the thesis that the respectable tradition of «learned ignorance» represented by Socrates, Pyrrhon, Nicholas of Cusa, finds its continuation in the so-called philosophy of «postmodernity». The author analyzes the main similarities and differences between the skeptics of antiquity and philosophers of «postmodernity», which encompasses postmodernism proper, as well as philosophies sharing many of its assumptions, e.g. neo-pragmatism of R.Rorty.

The first feature jointly shared by both skepticism and the philosophy of postmodernity is their antidogmatism. While this position of the skeptic finds its expression in the suspension of judgement, in the philosophy of «postmodernity» the premise about the existence of the objective is declared either «not useful» or superfluous. Instead, there exists a plurality of discourses, due to the equality of various discourse kinds and texts. The truth is important not in itself, but as a instrument regulating people’s behavior.

The second common feature closely related to the first is the refusal to claim the possession of the truth. This refusal is backed by different arguments in skepticism and postmodernism and leads to different consequences. In skepticism this refusal is temporary and «personal», in the philosophy of «postmodernity» the ignorance is universal, resulting from the emptiness of the very notion of the «objective truth». Language is contingent in relation to the person and hence, the truth is also contingent. The distinction between appearance and reality is discarded by the refusal to recognize the objective reality, which is replaced with a multiplicity of world pictures contingent on culture, time, age, nationality, language, etc.

The third similarity between skepticism and postmodernism lies in the “learned» nature of ignorance. The skeptic comes to know the boundaries of his knowledge by establishing the unreliable nature of sensual perceptions or the fallibility of judgements.

The philosophers of postmodernity, noting that individual perceptions and judgements are loaded with cultural (political, ethnic, gender) and other factors, also show mistrust to «metanarratives», which, in Liotard’s view, are the most essential feature of postmodernism.

The fourth common feature of the ancient skeptics and philosophers of postmodernity is that in both schools the learned ignorance has both cognitive and ethical dimensions – the «epoche» in the first case, and the emphasis on the importance of consensus in the second. Both skepticism and postmodernism pay the same price for emphasizing the ethical dimension – the suspension of the truth or even the rejection of the very notion of truth.

One more similarity consists in the connection between the theoretical and practical «components» of learned ignorance. The practical goal is dominant both is scepticism and in the philosophy of «postmodernity». In the first case it is ataraxia, in the second case there are practical and even political ends, for example, the study of the role of gender, racial and cultural differences, which should reveal social and cultural dimensions of knowledge and language. Cognitive efforts and conclusions are subordinated to and dependent on the political context (in the broad sense of the word).

It seems that the interpretation of the philosophy of “postmodernity” in the spirit of the tradition of the «learned ignorance» helps to draw attention to the development of this tendency and its radicalization. This claim can be supported by analyzing radical changes in the meaning of such concepts as «reality», «truth», «language» and the refusal to recognize many traditional dichotomies, such as «subject – object», «appearance – reality».

What comes after postmodernity ? The author supports the view that the only viable alternative to an infinite rotation in the circle of equally justified discourses is to step back and attempt to reconcile some of the most important insights of postmodernism (the role of scientific, cultural, political, ethnic, gender factors) with traditional values of European rationalism. It is argued that this return to the rationalist «roots» is a promising attempt to synthesize the «truth» of postmodernism with our fundamental intuitions about the reality, truth and language which cannot be easily discarded.

Plusnin Y.M., Dolmatova G.V., Plus’nin V.M. The Fundamental Values of Today’s Russia: Direction of Change.

The socio-psychological study of 1477 respondents conducted in 1995-1998 revealed evidence about the dynamics of the world outlook values in the period of the systemic crisis of the Russian society. The individual structure of the intrinsic (base, self-sufficient) life values moves towards the pole of the lower values of physical safety and material well-being, in accordance with our earlier forecast of these changes made on the basis of the hypothesis of the «social swing of values». This process is considered to be «socially-unfavorable».

Goran V.P. The Genetic Link of Philosophy and Democracy in Ancient Greece.

This paper is a sequel to the one published in the preceding issue of this Journal (1998, №1). There the author examined the first of the two difficulties in defending the thesis about the genetic link of the philosophy and democracy in Ancient Greece. Here he examines the second difficulty. Its essence lies in the fact that there were thinkers among the early Greek philosophers, for example, Pythagorus and Heraclitus, who were guided by the aristocratic rather than democratic values. The difficulty is solved if we take into account that their philosophical views were influenced by the certain changes of the aristocratic world outlook of that age. And these changes manifestly correspond to the social process related to the establishment of democracy.

Boyko V.I. “The Family: Social Conditions of Demographic Reproduction”.

The paper offers methodological approaches towards studying interacting and interrelated objective and subjective factors influencing the demographic behavior of the modern family. Of the variety of factors (picture 1) the author concentrates on such objective and specific factors as the family policy of the state and the current state of Russia under the conditions of crisis. He offers a scheme of a coordinated interaction of the elements of the state policy which have determined the demographic behavior of the family (picture 3). In particular, the author analyses the lack of coordination between the two systems of norms and values: on the one hand, it is the model of the person which has to be reproduced in the process of socialization. This model is prescribed by the state. On the other hand, it’s family norms and ideals of this person. The axiological disintegration leads to the disbalance between the views of the state and the family on the reproduction of the person of the future and, in large part, determines the behavior of the family.

The author notes the necessity to include in the conceptual scheme of analysis the structure and volume of resources allocated to the maintenance and socialization of the child and channeled both through the public funds and directly to the family. He also examines the importance and influence of such a component as the “culture of needs” (status and functional) which are formed by the state via public values and considered by the marriage partners important for their own (non-demographic) life.

Neciporenko O.V., Volski A.N. Evolution of the social modernization paradigm.

The paper analyses the social modernization paradigm development developed by western philosophers, economists and sociologists.

The idea of three stages in the development of mankind by O.Kont, historical materialism by K.Marx, the concept of «rationalization» by M.Weber, «abstraction» by G.Zimmel, the role of «social differentiation» by T.Parsons formed the basis for the modernization theory.

The next stage in the development of the modernization paradigm was the related to the idea that the traditional society influenced by modernization can change into some intermediate forms characterized by the strengthening of traditional systems and possessing the ability for relatively sustainable reproduction.

In Russia we can consider all these processes as the next stage of the «overtaking» modernization which doesn’t run counter to the processes taking place in the rest of the world.

Tselishchev V.V. Synchronous and Asynchronous Incommensurability.

The paper examines the use of the term «incommensurability» in various contexts which alongside the term “paradigm”has become a metaphorical rather than a literal term.

The author distinguished between the two major uses of this term: «asynchronous incommensurability», which is usually used in the discussions about the “paradigms” understood as various historical styles of thinking, and “synchronous incommensurability» where the term «incommensurability» relates to the conceptual frameworks or theories representing a more or less homogeneous state of knowledge in a certain area.

This distinction could help to eliminate the confusion between these two uses of the term. This confusion is exemplified in the article by analysing R.Rorty’s uses of the term «incommensurability». The author notes that in the “Philosophy and the Mirror of Nature» hermeneutics appeals to asynchronous incommensurability, while the justification of the hermeneutics relies on synchronous incommensurability.

Thus, we have to deal with three types of problems, which should be discussed in order to clarify the relationship between synchronous and asynchronous incommensurability.

1) The use of the term “incommensurability” both in epistemological and hermeneutical contexts presupposes the elimination of the distinction between the humanities and physical sciences. This step needs to be justified.

2) The second problem is the shift of focus made by Rorty – from the comparison of the meaning of the term in different paradigms to the comparison of epistemology and hermeneutics per se. The author explains his reservations about this shift.

3) The author questions Rorty’s refusal to see the incommensurability of the conceptual frameworks in epistemology.

Thus, justifying the elimination of distinction between the synchronous and asynchronous incommensurability Rorty, in fact, uses more complex concepts than the concept of asynchronous incommensurability.The analysis of such conceptions as reference theory and antirealism requires an appeal to the conceptual fields and theoretical frameworks which lie outside the problem of incommensurability as it is. The reasons for Rorty’s strategy are quite obvious: he takes synchronous incommensurability to be the fundamental notion required for the justification of the hermeneutical procedure which, for him, is an alternative way to the comparison of scientific theories. However, the relevant concept for such a comparison is the concept of asynchronous commensurability or incommensurability because synchronous commensurability or incommensurability is, in fact, a different problem which has to be discussed in a wider framework of theoretical problems.