‘SLAVOPHILES’ – ‘OCCIDENTALISTS’: THE DIALOGUE CONTINUES

Abstract

Author considers culturological and philosophical aspects of the dichotomy ‘Slavophiles’ – ‘occidentalists’ in the article. Their opposition, principal differences of these two cultures, incompatibility of world perception, interpretation of human being, culture, civilization and strategy of development are substantiated. The creatively different interpretation of the dilemma ‘Slavophiles’ – ‘Occidentalists’ as a conflict of ‘the Enlightenment’ and ‘the Romanticism’, ‘Technocracy’ and ‘Humanitarity’ is suggested. The historical development of Russia as a specific, unique and peculiar cultural layer is comprehended. The principals of Russian mentality as anti - technocracy, humanitarity, existentialism and others are marked and explained. The author criticizes the scientistic and positivistic ideology as inorganic for Russian culture, and, on the contrary, confirms the value of humanitarity as the comprehensive and poetical understanding of the world. The special role of the problem of ideality, as well as the ground of the ideal for the Russian intellectual culture are emphasized. The main tendencies and conflicts of culture and society development at the turn of XXI century are estimated. The modern phenomena of ‘Westernization’ and ‘Americanization’ are conceptualized.