- •Философский факультет
- •19Th century.
- •20Th century.
- •Philosophy is Still at the Top
- •Department of Ontology and Theory of Knowledge
- •Exercises:
- •I. Comprehension Questions.
- •II. Word Study.
- •III. Questions for Discussion:
- •Department of Logic
- •Exercises:
- •I. Comprehension Questions.
- •II. Word Study.
- •III. Questions for Discussion:
- •Department of Philosophy of Science and Engineering
- •Exercises:
- •I. Comprehension Questions.
- •II. Word Study.
- •III. Questions for Discussion:
- •Department of Philosophical Anthropology
- •Exercises:
- •I. Comprehension Questions.
- •II. Word Study.
- •III. Questions for Discussion:
- •Department of Religious Studies
- •Exercises:
- •I. Comprehension Questions.
- •II. Word Study.
- •III. Questions for Discussion:
- •Institute of Political Science
- •Exercises:
- •I. Word Study.
- •III. Retell the text interpreting it from your position of a student of the Institute. Department of Political Governance
- •Exercises:
- •I. Word Study.
- •II. Questions for Discussion:
- •Department of Political Institutions and Applied Political Research
- •Exercises:
- •I. Word Study.
- •II. Questions for Discussion:
- •Department of Political Science and Department of International Political Processes
- •Exercises:
- •I. Word Study.
- •II. Questions for Discussion:
- •Department of Conflict Management
- •Exercises:
- •I. Comprehension Questions.
- •II. Word Study.
- •III. Questions for Discussion:
- •Department of Cultural Studies
- •Exercises:
- •I. Comprehension Questions.
- •II. Word Study.
- •III. Questions for Discussion:
- •Subdepartment of Western Culture
- •Subdepartment of Russian Culture
- •Subdepartment of Oriental Culture
- •Exercises:
- •I. Comprehension Questions.
- •II. Word Study.
- •III. Questions for Discussion:
- •Appendix List of Useful Words and Collocations to the Topic Education. University Studies. College Life.
- •Contents
Department of Ontology and Theory of Knowledge
It is a well-known fact that ontology and epistemology are the oldest philosophical disciplines. Indeed, philosophy begins with attempts to comprehend, firstly, the most general principals of being and, secondly, the conditions and possibilities of knowledge. The former group of problems comprises the sphere of interests of ontology, and the latter - the sphere of the theory of knowledge.
The very important peculiarity of the understanding of being as inseparably linked with cognition, thinking and, consequently, with truth was discovered by ancient philosophers. This understanding was extremely important both for determining the conditions of attaining the truth and its criteria and for recognition of the truth itself as a fundamental basis of being. The essence of this understanding lies in the fact that a thought, if it is clear and intelligible, is something more than a mere subjective experience: it contains some sort of objectivity; hence, being and thinking are one and the same.
Since the dawn of European philosophical tradition a close connection between such basic ontological and epistemological categories as “being” and “thinking”, “existence” and “truth”, “nature” and “meaning” has been established. Nowadays the emphasis in the philosophical comprehension of being has been shifted onto the “life world” of man. It is the problem of man’s being that becomes the main theme of the new ontology. As for the subject matter of epistemology it is focused on the problems of understanding and interpretation of what is called the meaning of being. But the very specific character of man’s being consists in its real forms being distinctly dependent on a person’s ideas about himself. That is why any understanding of the meaning of being becomes a constituent basis of being itself.
The history of the Department dates back to 1939, when it was founded within the Faculty of History. In 1990 the Department was given its present name. The present Head of Department is Professor Lipsky.
It is worthy of note that the Department carries out an extreme research work. For the last few years three international conferences have been held here: “Rationality and Problems of Cognition” (November, 1995), “Philosophy of the Humanities. Russian Academic Tradition and Modernity” (November, 1997), “Scientific Rationality and Daily Routine Structures” (November, 1999). The Department also maintains permanent scientific links with universities in Germany and Finland.
Members of the teaching stuff are engaged in research and teaching. They publish monographs, academic papers and manuals. Among the recent publications mention must be made of the following: “Philosophical Dictionary for Pupils” (1995), “The Basics of Ontology” (1997), “Epistemological Grounds of Mental Activities” by Professor Y. M. Shilkov, “Blood and Culture” by V. V. Savchuk (1996), “The Basics of the Theory of Knowledge” by B. I. Lipsky (2000), “Being and Essence” by Y. M. Romanenko (2000).
The main themes of the subjects studied are covered by two lecture courses: “Ontology and the Theory of Knowledge” and “Philosophy of the Humanities”. The Department also offers a number of optional courses: “Ontological Turning-Point in the Philosophy of the 20th century”, “Ontology of Myth”, “Structures of Consciousness”, “Ontology of Possible Worlds”, “Strategies of Communication”, “Phenomenology of Thinking”, “Daily Routine Structures”, “Practical Nature of the Truth”, “Ontological Grounds of Stable Development”. The above-mentioned courses reflect the wide range of the research interests of the Department and highlight current issues of contemporary ontology and epistemology.
The main sphere of activity of the Department’s graduates is scientific and pedagogical work. But the broad education they get allows them to apply their knowledge and capabilities in other spheres as well. Among the graduates are not only teachers and scientists, but also librarians, editors, business-people, and politicians. Up to 50% of our graduates have the opportunity to take up a course of post-graduate studies at the Department.