The worldview function of philosophy is... Functions of philosophy

Basic functions of philosophy.

Source 1.

The main function of philosophy is worldview. Being the theoretical core of a worldview, philosophy comprehends the ultimate foundations of culture, setting a coordinate system for everyday human activity. That is why philosophy is sometimes called the self-awareness of culture.

From the ideological function follows the synthetic one. Philosophy is the quintessence of the basic ideas and values ​​of a particular historical era, uniting various forms of culture into a single semantic whole. Philosophy is a form of spiritual culture that acts as an integrator of all other forms.

Another important function of philosophy is critical. By reflecting on the ultimate foundations of culture, philosophy questions ideas and meanings that have lost their modernity and relevance. We can say that cultural progress is possible only because a person is able to question established rules and look beyond the usual horizons.

Criticality is the basis of the movement of philosophical thought. Philosophy in general began as a doubt about the reliability of the knowledge about the world offered by myth. The question “what is being?” is impossible for ordinary consciousness. The gap between the ordinary and the philosophical Greek philosophy expressed in the opposition of reliable knowledge - "episteme" and opinion - illusory, although generally accepted, knowledge - "doxa". The fundamentally critical nature of philosophy was noted by thinkers of different eras: F. Bacon, R. Descartes, D. Hume, I. Kant. They all believed that to philosophize means to doubt.

The most comprehensive theory, which clarifies the critical nature of philosophy, was proposed in modern times by R. Descartes. He laid the principle of methodological doubt at the basis of any reflection. Without a doubt thinking cannot begin. The only undoubted fact for a person is the fact of his own thinking. Thus, the ability to think becomes the guarantor of the existence of the individual. Starting from the principle of methodological doubt, R. Descartes came to the formulation of his famous position Cogito ergo sum (I think, therefore I exist).

The methodological function of philosophy is to determine general rules and principles of scientific activity. Science cannot independently reflect on its own premises; philosophy performs the function of an “outside”, comprehending view.

Source 2.

The most significant of them are:

ideological

epistemological

methodological

information and communication

value-oriented

critical

integrating

ideological

educational

prognostic

design

Worldview function

The worldview function of philosophy is considered one of the most important. It reveals the ability of philosophy to act as the basis of a worldview, which is an integral, stable system of views about the world and the laws of its existence, about the phenomena and processes of nature and society that are important for maintaining the life of society and man. A philosophical worldview is able to be based on the results of cognitive and practical activities people. An important role in the system of modern philosophical worldview is played by the data of science, synthesized in ideas about the scientific picture of the world.

Often in modern conditions, the worldview of individual people simultaneously combines mythological, religious and scientific ideas. These ideas give specificity to the worldviews of specific people.

Worldview, worldview and worldview

In worldviews that differ in form and character, the intellectual and emotional-psychological experience of people is combined in a special way; they reflect people’s worldview, worldview and worldview in different ways.

Attitude is the emotional and psychological side of the worldview. It expresses the sensations, perceptions, and experiences of people.

In a worldview based on visual representations, the world appears in its reality, the images of which are mediated by a combination of emotional, psychological and cognitive experience of people.

Worldview is formed on the basis of attitude and worldview. As science develops, the nature of the worldview is increasingly influenced by the knowledge it acquires. The importance of worldview lies in the fact that it is the basis for the formation of a person’s needs and interests, his ideas about norms and values, and therefore his motives for activity. The development and improvement of worldview, worldview and understanding of the world leads to an increase in the quality of the content of the worldview and an increase in the power of its influence on living life.

As a system of beliefs, people’s worldview is formed on the basis of a wide variety of knowledge, but its final form is given by philosophy, which, as noted earlier, generalizes the attitudes contained in it and develops extremely general principles of both knowledge, understanding, and transformation of the world. The foundation of a worldview is information about normative formations that mediate its orientation and give it effectiveness. Philosophy is a means of forming and justifying the content of the most general, fundamental and therefore essential normative formations of the worldview that mediate the entire life support system of people. In this sense, it is justified to consider it as the basis of a worldview that a person uses in his interactions with the world and to endow it with a worldview function.

Epistemological function

Associated with this function is epistemological or theoretical-cognitive. The essence of this function lies in the ability of philosophy to carry out a theoretical study of human cognitive activity in order to identify mechanisms, techniques and methods of cognition. In other words, the theory of knowledge, by developing the principles and norms of knowledge, provides a person with the means by which people have the opportunity to comprehend the world, that is, to obtain true knowledge about it and thereby have a correct worldview that meets the requirements of modern times, on the basis of which effective practice.

Methodological function

Philosophy, being a means of developing the principles of human relations to the world and the custodian of knowledge about these principles, is able to act as a methodology, that is, as a doctrine of methods of cognition and transformation of reality. This means that philosophy has a methodological function. The term “methodology” is used in scientific literature in two senses: firstly, the word “methodology” denotes the doctrine of norms and rules of human activity; secondly, methodology is understood as a set of certain norms that mediate cognitive and practical actions with the aim of optimizing them. It can be argued that methodology as a set of principles and norms of activity acts as a manifestation of a worldview in action. The fulfillment of a methodological function by philosophy depends on the quality of the general principles of cognitive and practical activity of people developed within its framework, as well as on the depth of assimilation of knowledge of these principles by the people applying them.

Information and communication function

The nature of the assimilation of philosophical knowledge depends on the ability of philosophy as a system of knowledge to be transmitted from one person to another and to inform the latter about its content. This reveals the information and communication function of philosophy.

Value-orienting function

Philosophy as a body of knowledge about the most general principles a person’s relationship to the world is at the same time a system of criteria for evaluative activity, in the role of which these principles act. Evaluative activity, possible on the basis of people's awareness of the criteria proposed by philosophy for the optimality and usefulness of a particular set of phenomena and actions, acts as a means of orienting these people in the world. Philosophy as a means of developing knowledge about values ​​and a carrier of this knowledge, from the point of view of axiology, or the theory of values, is capable of performing a value-orienting function.

Critical function

This direction of realizing one of the purposes of philosophy is associated with the manifestation of its other purpose, expressed in the fulfillment of a critical function. Within the framework of philosophy, an assessment of what is happening in the world is carried out on the basis of the general ideas contained in philosophy about the norm and pathology of the phenomena and processes of reality surrounding a person. Philosophy's critical attitude to what is negatively assessed in spiritual and material life contributes to the development of measures aimed at overcoming what does not suit a person, seems pathological to him and therefore worthy of transformation. The critical function of philosophy can manifest itself not only in people’s relationships to the world, but also be realized in the course of self-assessment by specialists of its own content. Thus, the critical function of philosophy can be realized both in terms of stimulating the development of knowledge about the world and updating the world as a whole, and in terms of improving the content of philosophy itself.

Integrating function

As is known, philosophy generalizes the knowledge accumulated by humanity, systematizes and integrates it into a single system, and develops criteria for its subordination. This allows us to talk about the integrative function of philosophy in relation to knowledge.

In addition, philosophy formulates extremely general principles of the world order, as well as requirements for a person’s relationship to the world, society and himself. Having been learned during upbringing, becoming an asset different people, such principles ensure that they form positions that are similar in content, which facilitates the integration of the social community into a single whole. This reveals another plan for the implementation of the integrating function of philosophy.

Ideological function

In close connection with these functions, philosophy is capable of recording and promoting the interests of social strata and groups of society, that is, acting as an ideology, performing an ideological function. This function may have specificity depending on the interests of which social groups this philosophy expresses. As we know, group interests can be progressive or reactionary. Depending on this, the direction of the implementation of the ideological function is determined, which can have a great influence on the manifestation of other functions of philosophy. Reactionary ideologies are able to slow down the development of philosophy, deform and distort its content, and reduce it social value, reduce the scope of application in practice.

Educational function

An important role is played by the educational function of philosophy, which stems from the ability of this discipline to have, as knowledge about it is acquired, a formative effect on a person’s intellect. A person’s mastery of knowledge of philosophy, the formation of beliefs and activity skills that correspond to it are able to encourage a person to be active, creative and effective for people. If a person masters a reactionary philosophy, this can give rise to a passive attitude towards affairs, alienation from people, from the achievements of culture, or turn into activity directed against society or part of it.

Prognostic function

Along with the above functions, philosophy is engaged in forecasting and performs a prognostic function. Many philosophers of the past acted as prophets, predicting the future. Some of the forecasts were utopian, far from reality, but sometimes the prophecies of individual outstanding thinkers achieved great adequacy. Of course, it is difficult to foresee the future, but the value of philosophers’ warnings about looming dangers, for example, those generated by thoughtless and predatory consumption of natural resources, within the framework of the rules that the world economy uses today, is extremely high. For this poses the task of improving the norms regulating the connections between society and nature in order to ensure the survival of people.

Design function

Another function of philosophy is related to the considered functions - design. Due to the fact that philosophy reveals the mechanisms and most general trends in the development of nature, society and thinking, reveals the requirements, the observance of which ensures the operation of these mechanisms and trends, it is able to become the basis for influencing natural and social processes. Such influence must be organized to ensure its clear focus and obtain certain results. Preliminary design of the social environment, for example, in the conditions of territory development, urban planning, construction of plants and factories, requires the participation of philosophy, which, together with other sciences, is designed to develop the most general principles and norms that make up the normative framework for the creation and functioning of objects used to organize the life of people in an urbanized environment. and other environment. Philosophy is called upon to play the same role in organizing economic space. In a narrower sense, the design function of philosophy is realized in the formation of patterns of cognitive and practical activity. Consideration of the functions of philosophy is an illustration of its large-scale role in social life, in organizing people’s activities aimed at understanding and transforming the world.

In the activities of an economist, the functions of the acquired philosophy are realized not only in the content of his professional practical and theoretical activities. The embodiment of ideological, epistemological, methodological and other functions of philosophy is carried out both in terms of awareness of macroeconomic problems and in their implementation at the level of microeconomic relations. At the same time, it becomes possible to generate innovative ideas, make informed decisions on their implementation, successfully implement them in economic activity, and flawlessly follow the requirements of economic relations accepted for execution and existing in society. In other words, philosophy, having become the property of an economist as a component of his professional training, can act as the foundation of his practical activity. The success of this activity will depend, among other things, on what philosophy the economist has mastered and how skillfully he can apply it in practice.

Source 3.

1. General concept of the functions of philosophy.

The functions of philosophy are the main directions of application of philosophy, through which its goals, objectives, and purpose are realized. It is customary to highlight:

ideological,

methodological,

thought-theoretical,

epistemological,

critical,

axiological,

social,

educational and humanitarian,

prognostic

functions of philosophy.

The worldview function contributes to the formation of the integrity of the picture of the world, ideas about its structure, the place of man in it, and the principles of interaction with the outside world.

The methodological function is that philosophy develops the basic methods of understanding the surrounding reality.

The mental-theoretical function is expressed in the fact that philosophy teaches conceptual thinking and theorizing - to extremely generalize the surrounding reality, to create mental-logical schemes, systems of the surrounding world.

Epistemological - one of the fundamental functions of philosophy - has the goal of correct and reliable knowledge of the surrounding reality (that is, the mechanism of knowledge).

The role of the critical function is to question the surrounding world and existing meaning, look for their new features, qualities, and reveal contradictions. The ultimate goal of this function is to expand the boundaries of knowledge, destroy dogmas, ossify knowledge, modernize it, and increase the reliability of knowledge.

The axiological function of philosophy (translated from Greek axios - valuable) is to evaluate things, phenomena of the surrounding world from the point of view of various values ​​- moral, ethical, social, ideological, etc. The purpose of the axiological function is to be a “sieve” through which to pass everything that is necessary, valuable and useful and discard what is slow and obsolete. The axiological function is especially strengthened during critical periods of history (the beginning of the Middle Ages - the search for new (theological) values ​​after the collapse of Rome; the Renaissance; the Reformation; the crisis of capitalism at the end of the 19th - beginning of the 20th centuries, etc.).

The social function is to explain society, the reasons for its emergence, the evolution of the current state, its structure, elements, driving forces; reveal contradictions, indicate ways to eliminate or mitigate them, and improve society.

The educational and humanitarian function of philosophy is to cultivate humanistic values ​​and ideals, instill them in people and society, help strengthen morality, help a person adapt to the world around him and find the meaning of life.

The prognostic function is to predict development trends, the future of matter, consciousness, cognitive processes, man, nature and society, based on existing philosophical knowledge about the surrounding world and man, achievements of knowledge.

Philosophy and private scientific knowledge.

Source 1.

A) The private scientific picture of the world is a way of seeing the world that is provided by cognitive means certain science(physical, chemical, biological and other pictures of the world). A generalized characteristic of the subject of research is introduced into the picture of reality through the following ideas:

1) about the fundamental objects from which all other objects studied by the corresponding science are considered to be constructed;

2) about the typology of the objects being studied;

3) about the general patterns of their interaction;

4) about the spatio-temporal structure of reality.

All these ideas can be described in a system of ontological principles, through which the picture of the reality under study is explicated and which act as the basis of scientific theories of the corresponding discipline.

For example, principles: the world consists of indivisible corpuscles; their interaction is carried out as an instantaneous transfer of forces in a straight line; corpuscles and bodies formed from them move in absolute space with the passage of absolute time - they describe the picture of the physical world that developed in the second half of the 17th century and was subsequently called the mechanical picture of the world.

The basis of the biological picture of the world of classical natural science was Darwin’s theory of the evolution of species based on the mechanism of natural selection, which included chance as an essential element.

What is the role of the private scientific picture in the structure of scientific knowledge? It sets and authorizes as a true certain categorical type of vision by a specific science of its empirical and theoretical (idealized) objects, harmonizing them with each other. What is its nature? Of course, it does not appear as a result of a generalization of theoretical and/or empirical knowledge. The private scientific picture of the world is always a concretization of a certain (more general) philosophical ontology.

Source 2.

The first philosophical teachings arose more than 2500 years ago in India, China, Egypt, reaching their classical form in Ancient Greece.

Philosophy was formed on the basis of the contradiction between the mythological worldview and the rudiments of scientific knowledge, which required for its explanation not regular myths, but an appeal to natural, causal relationships. The understanding of a fundamentally new orientation of the subjects of knowledge led to the emergence of cognitive subject-object relations in the structure of the worldview, and the growth of natural scientific information about nature led to the maturation of universal scientific ideas about the world, which gradually replaced the mythological picture of the world. Over time, the main question of worldview (the question of the world as a whole and of man’s relationship to the world) and the answer to it, as well as to many related questions, found scientific form, and the worldview, new in content, turned out to be relatively independent, isolated from both the mythological and religious worldview.

The history of the development of philosophy, if you get acquainted with it in terms of the relationship between general and specific scientific knowledge about nature (see Chapter III), also testifies to the inextricable connection between philosophy and science. History shows that philosophy, at least from its ontological and epistemological side, developed in a way similar to the path of the natural sciences.

So, at two moments of its genesis: at the stage of its inception, and then throughout the history of its development, philosophical knowledge turned out to be meaningfully intertwined with natural science knowledge.

The genetic aspect of scientific philosophy is complemented by a structural aspect. Philosophy constantly receives and processes information available in various fields of knowledge, including the natural sciences; this information comes to her through many communication channels: conceptual, mesotheoretical, operational, etc. On this basis, a universal picture of the world is formed and changed, improved, philosophical ideas about the systematic nature of being, about space, determinism, about cognitive subject-object relations, about universal principles, methods of cognition, etc. To Contents philosophical knowledge includes certain fundamental concepts of natural sciences ("atom", "matter", etc.), some of the most general laws and principles of natural science (for example, "the law of conservation and transformation of energy"). By the way, the presence of a whole layer of such natural science concepts in philosophy often gives reason to completely deny its specificity and believe that it is nothing more than a set of the most significant results of the natural sciences. But one way or another, the presence in its composition and the functioning of natural scientific data in it is one of the signs of its scientific nature.

In structural terms, from the side of the actual philosophical concepts and means of cognition, philosophy also has many aspects that indicate its scientific nature and entry, at least in some respects, into the sphere of scientific knowledge.

What are the characteristic features, or signs, of scientific knowledge?

Cognition is usually compared with practical and value-evaluative activities. Cognition is the activity of receiving, storing, processing and systematizing conscious concrete sensory and conceptual images of reality (a slightly different definition: this is the activity of receiving, storing, processing and systematizing information about objects). Knowledge is the result of cognition.

A particular system of knowledge is considered scientific, or related to the field of science, if it meets certain criteria.

Mythological and religious knowledge is characterized by belief in the supernatural and supernatural. Such faith is absent in science.

The scientific criteria are as follows:

1) Objectivity, or the principle of objectivity. Scientific knowledge is associated with the disclosure of natural objects, taken “in themselves,” as “things in themselves” (not in the Kantian sense, but as not yet known, but knowable). In this case, there is a distraction from both the interests of the individual and everything supernatural. Nature must be known from itself, it is recognized in this sense as self-sufficient; objects and their relationships must also be known as they are, without any extraneous additions, i.e. without introducing into them anything subjective or supernatural.

2) Rationality, rationalistic validity, evidence. As some researchers note, ordinary knowledge is, among other things, referential in nature, based on “opinions”, “authority”; in scientific knowledge, it is not just something that is communicated, but the necessary reasons for which this content is true are given; The principle of sufficient reason applies here. The principle of sufficient reason says: “Not a single phenomenon can be true or valid, not a single statement can be fair without sufficient reason why exactly the matter is this way and not otherwise” (Leibniz G.V. Soch.: In 4 vols. M., 1982. T. 1. P. 418); Reason becomes the judge in matters of truth, and the way to achieve it is criticality and rational principles of knowledge.

3) Essentialist orientation, i.e. focus on reproducing the essence, patterns of an object (reflection of repeating, but insignificant properties of an object is also subordinate to this goal).

4) Special organization, special systematic knowledge; not just orderliness, as in ordinary knowledge, but orderliness according to conscious principles; orderliness in the form of theory and an expanded theoretical concept.

5) Verifiability; here is an appeal to scientific observation, to practice, and testing by logic, in a logical way; scientific truth characterizes knowledge that is in principle testable and ultimately proven to be confirmed. The verifiability of scientific truths, their reproducibility through practice gives them the property of universal validity (and in this sense, “intersubjectivity”).

General validity in itself is not a criterion sign of the truth of a particular position. The fact that a majority votes for a proposition does not mean that it is true. The main criterion of truth is different. Truth does not follow from universal validity, but on the contrary, truth requires universal validity and ensures it.

All noted scientific criteria are applicable to part of the content of philosophical knowledge, especially to ontology (philosophy of nature), epistemology (epistemology) and methodology scientific knowledge, which can be found in virtually all philosophical systems that have corresponding problems.

From the above considerations, we can conclude that philosophy is part of the scientific sphere of knowledge, at least part of its content, and in this regard, philosophy is a science, a type of scientific knowledge. Its subject specificity as a type of scientific knowledge lies in the extreme generalization of information from the point of view of the main issue of worldview.

This position follows from a comparison of philosophy primarily with natural, and not with social sciences, and therefore we must, apparently, consider that philosophy in the noted relations is a natural science, it is included (in part) in the complex of natural science disciplines.

At the same time, it is also a social science discipline. Philosophy also studies society, and in it - the relationship between collective (social) consciousness and social existence, the specifics of social cognition, etc. Philosophy is closely connected with private social sciences - law, economics, political science, etc., generalizing the data of these sciences from a certain angle. The subject-substantive interpenetration of philosophy and social sciences allows us to consider philosophy also as social science knowledge.

Introduction

Basic functions of philosophy

Worldview functions of philosophy

Methodological functions of philosophy

Other functions and classifications

Conclusion

List of used literature

Introduction

From the very beginning of philosophy more than two thousand years ago in Ancient Greece among serious thinkers, there was a belief in the need for a thorough examination of the rational validity of those views on the world around us and ourselves, which we accept. We all take in a wealth of information and a variety of opinions about the material universe and the human world. However, very few of us ever consider how reliable or significant this data is. We are generally inclined to accept without doubt the reports of the discoveries of science, sanctified by tradition of conviction and variety of views, based on personal experience. Likewise, the philosopher insists on a scrupulous critical examination of all this in order to establish whether these beliefs and views are based on sufficient grounds and whether they should thinking person accept them.

Philosophy (from Greek - love of truth, wisdom) - form public consciousness; the doctrine of the general principles of being and knowledge, the relationship of man to the world, the science of the universal laws of development of nature, society and thinking. Philosophy develops a generalized system of views on the world, the place of man in it; it explores cognitive values, socio-political, moral and aesthetic attitude man to the world.

The subject of consideration of philosophy is the universal properties and connections (relations) of reality - nature, man, the relationship between objective reality and the subjectivism of the world, material and ideal, being and thinking. Where the universal is the properties, connections, relationships inherent in both objective reality and the subjective world of man. Quantitative and qualitative certainty, structural and cause-and-effect relationships and other properties and connections relate to all spheres of reality: nature, consciousness. The subject of philosophy must be distinguished from the problems of philosophy, since the problems of philosophy exist objectively, independently of philosophy. Universal properties and connections (production and time, quantity and quality) existed when the science of philosophy did not yet exist as such.

Basic functions of philosophy

Philosophy appears in two forms: 1) as information about the world as a whole and man’s relationship to this world and 2) as a set of principles of knowledge, as a universal method of cognitive activity. This is the basis for dividing a large number of functions of philosophy into two groups: ideological And methodological.

Worldview function contributes to the formation of the integrity of the picture of the world, ideas about its structure, the place of man in it, the principles of interaction with the outside world.

Methodological function lies in the fact that philosophy develops the basic methods of understanding the surrounding reality.

Worldview functions of philosophy

Among the worldview functions is such an important function of philosophy as humanistic. It ranks first among the functions of philosophy in accordance with the priority significance of the human problem.

There is probably not a single person in the world who would not reflect on the question of life and death, on the inevitability of his end. Such thoughts often have a depressing effect on a person. Here is what the famous Russian philosopher N.A. Berdyaev wrote about this: “The future always brings death in the end, and this cannot but cause melancholy.” Longing, in essence, is always longing for eternity, the inability to come to terms with time.

Longing is directed towards a higher world and is accompanied by a feeling of insignificance, emptiness, and the perishability of this world. Longing is addressed to the transcendental, but at the same time it means a lack of merging with it. “All my life,” testifies N.A. Berdyaev, - I was accompanied by melancholy. This, however, depended on the periods of life, sometimes it reached greater severity and tension, sometimes it weakened.” Philosophy is “freed from the melancholy and boredom of “life.” And further, already summarizing the history of the development of human thought, N.A. Berdyaev concluded: “Philosophy has always been a breakthrough from the meaningless, empirical world that coerces and rapes us from all sides to the world of meaning.”

Philosophy, of course, does not give eternity, but it helps to comprehend this life, helps to find its meaning and strengthen one’s spirit. This is the humanistic function of philosophy.

The next ideological function of philosophy is socio-axiological function. It is divided into a number of subfunctions, among which the most important are constructive-value, interpretive And critical subfunctions. The content of the first of them is to develop ideas about values, such as Goodness, Justice, Truth, Beauty; This also includes the formation of ideas about the social (public) ideal.

One of the functions of philosophy is cultural and educational function. Knowledge of philosophy, including the requirements for knowledge, contributes to the formation in a person of important qualities of a cultural personality: orientation towards truth, truth, kindness. Philosophy is able to protect a person from the superficial and narrow framework of the everyday type of thinking; it dynamizes the theoretical and empirical concepts of special sciences in order to most adequately reflect the contradictory, changing essence of phenomena.

Along with the functions already considered, philosophy also has explanatory and informational function. One of the main tasks of philosophy is to develop a worldview that corresponds to the modern level of science, historical practice and the intellectual requirements of man. In this function, the main purpose of specialized knowledge is modified: to adequately reflect its object, to identify its essential elements, structural connections, patterns; accumulate and deepen knowledge, serve as a source of reliable information. Like science, philosophy is a complex dynamic information system created to collect, analyze and process information in order to obtain new information. This information is concentrated in philosophical concepts(categories), general principles and laws that form an integral system. Within this system there are sections: philosophical ontology (the doctrine of being as such), theory of knowledge, dialectics as a universal method, social philosophy, general ethics, theoretical aesthetics, philosophical problems of particular sciences, philosophy of religion, history of philosophy, “philosophy of philosophy” (theory philosophical knowledge).

These are the main ideological functions of philosophy.

Methodological functions of philosophy

From the point of view of its method, philosophy is capable of performing several functions: heuristic, coordinating, integrating And logical-gnoseological.

The essence heuristic function is to promote the growth of scientific knowledge, including the creation of prerequisites for scientific discoveries. The philosophical method, used in unity with the formal-logical one, ensures an increase in knowledge, of course, in the philosophical sphere itself. The result of this is an extensive and intensive change in the system of universal categories. New information may take the form of a forecast.

Coordinating function consists of coordinating methods in the process scientific research. At first glance, it seems unnecessary: ​​if the method is meaningful, determined by the nature of the object, then any additional coordination of methods, in addition to their coordination by the subject of knowledge, seems unnecessary and even harmful. It is enough for a researcher to focus on the object itself, on the correspondence of the method to this object, in order to have an important prerequisite for an effective scientific search. IN general view this reasoning is correct. But it does not take into account the complex nature of the connection between method and object that exists in modern science, the process of growing professionalization of scientists, mediating the connection between the subject (the method is one of its components) and the object in science.

Integrating function is associated with the idea of ​​the unifying role of philosophical knowledge in relation to any set of elements that make up a system or are capable of forming an integrity.

Logical-epistemological consists in the development of the philosophical method itself, its normative principles, as well as in the logical and epistemological justification of certain conceptual and theoretical structures of scientific knowledge.

Other functions and classifications

In addition to the above, it is customary to highlight such functions of philosophy as:

- mental-theoretical function

- critical function

Thought-theoretical function is expressed in the fact that philosophy teaches conceptual thinking and theorizing - to extremely generalize the surrounding reality, to create mental and logical schemes, systems of the surrounding world.

Role critical function– question the surrounding world and existing meaning, look for their new features, qualities, reveal contradictions. The ultimate goal of this function is to expand the boundaries of knowledge, destroy dogmas, ossify knowledge, modernize it, and increase the reliability of knowledge.

Finding solutions to complex philosophical questions, the formation of a new worldview is usually accompanied by criticism of various kinds of misconceptions, prejudices, mistakes, stereotypes that stand in the way of true knowledge and correct action. The task of critical philosophical thinking, destruction, loosening of dogmas, outdated views was emphasized with particular force by F. Bacon, who was acutely aware that in all centuries philosophy has met on its path “bothersome and painful opponents”: superstition, blind, immoderate religious zeal and other types of obstacles . Bacon called them “ghosts,” drawing attention to the fact that among the “ghosts” that paralyze cognition and wise action, each time there appears the eternal enemy of a living, inquisitive intellect - the ingrained habit of a dogmatic way of cognition and reasoning, adherence to pre-given concepts, principles, with which they strive to “harmonize” everything else.

According to another classification:

The function of identifying general ideas, perceptions, forms of experience

Rationalization function

First of all, philosophy reveals the most general ideas, representations, forms of experience, for example, such universal concepts as being, matter, object, phenomenon, process, property, relationship, change, development, cause - effect, accidental - necessary, part - whole, element - structure, etc. Taken together, they form the basis of all human understanding and intelligence. Neither in everyday life, neither in science nor in various forms of practical activity it is possible to do without, say, the concept of cause. Such concepts are present in all thinking; human rationality rests on them. That is why they are classified as the ultimate foundations, universal forms of culture. Classical philosophy from Aristotle to Hegel closely linked the concept of philosophy with the doctrine of categories.

Besides the function identifying“universals” philosophy as a rational-theoretical form of worldview takes upon itself the task rationalization- translation into a logical, conceptual form, as well as systematization, theoretical expression of the total results human experience in all its forms

Conclusion

The study of philosophy contributes to the improvement of general culture and the formation of a philosophical culture of the individual. It expands consciousness: in order to communicate, people need breadth of consciousness, the ability to understand another person or themselves as if from the outside. Philosophy and philosophical thinking skills help with this. A philosopher has to consider the points of view of different people and critically comprehend them. This is how spiritual experience accumulates, which contributes to the expansion of consciousness.

The study of philosophy is intended to form the art of living in an obviously imperfect world. To live without losing personal identity, individual soul and universal spirituality. It is possible to resist circumstances only with the ability to maintain spiritual sobriety, self-worth, and personal dignity. The importance of the personal dignity of other people becomes clear to the individual. For an individual, neither a herd nor an egoistic position is possible.

“Studying philosophy improves the ability to concentrate. Personality is impossible without internal composure. Collecting one’s own personality is akin to self-purification” (V.F. Shapovalov).

Philosophy makes people think. Bertrand Russell writes in his book The History of Western Philosophy: “It moderates religious and philosophical passions, and its practice makes people more intellectual, which is not so bad in a world in which there is a lot of stupidity.” Changing the world, he believes, can best be done through moral improvement and self-improvement. Philosophy can do this. A person must act on the basis of his thoughts and his will. But with one condition: not to encroach on the freedom of others. Having health, prosperity and the ability for creative work, he can succeed in spiritual self-improvement and achieve happiness.

The purpose of philosophy is to search for man's destiny, to ensure man's existence in a bizarre world. To be or not to be? - that is the question. And if so, what kind? The purpose of philosophy is, ultimately, to elevate man, to provide universal conditions for his improvement. Philosophy is needed to ensure the best possible condition for humanity. Philosophy calls every person to nobility, truth, beauty, goodness.

List of used literature

Introduction to philosophy./Frolov I. – M., 1989

Alekseev P.V., Panin A.V. Philosophy: Textbook. – 3rd ed., revised. and additional – M.: TK Welby, Prospekt Publishing House, 2003.

Philosophical encyclopedic dictionary(no output)

Wikipedia/Philosophy

Photographer Chris Wells

The function of science is the sphere of activity where interest is shown and scientific action (research) is carried out; or a complex of execution of assigned tasks and goals depending on changing conditions and quantities.

• The worldview function of philosophy is the determination of the exploratory and applied guidelines of man in particular and humanity in general through the study of worldview. That is, it is a set of criteria for assessing the perception of the world by a person and the culture created by him as a community (society);
• The epistemological function of philosophy is a scientifically correct understanding of the surrounding reality and its reliable knowledge. It is responsible for determining whether it is scientific, non-scientific and the lack thereof, that is, it carries out an expert assessment of knowledge;
• The methodological function controls the development and testing of ways for philosophy to achieve its goals and research. She develops methods and approaches used in philosophical research, and also evaluates and tests them;
• Information and communication – this function controls the transfer and content of transmitted data between any agents involved in its processes. That is, it carries out the dissemination of knowledge between different disciplines both within philosophy and outside it, supporting cooperation between other sciences and their disciplines;
• The value-orienting function is specific and related to a number of disciplines, including axiology, ethics and aesthetics, and performs the role of evaluative activity according to various criteria of a wide range of phenomena, including the creation or exclusion of value itself. To put it simply, it is responsible for defining, justifying and disseminating values ​​other than knowledge, which by default is the goal and value of any science. For example, aesthetic values like the concept of “beautiful” are unattainable for understanding or justifying some sciences such as chemistry or physics. In the last example, without the participation of philosophy, the study of culture will be formal and poor;
• The critical function evaluates a phenomenon or process and compares it with the opinion of philosophy, that is, as the name suggests, it criticizes, draws conclusions and gives a conclusion. Expert assessment of philosophy is broader than in other sciences and is focused on various criteria, which for some other disciplines do not make sense;
• The integrating function is that philosophy accumulates, compiles and stores knowledge, including it in its concepts, that is, integrates. In cooperation with the other functions described above, it carries out the dissemination of knowledge, hypotheses and theories in the scientific community;
• The ideological function deals with the study, classification and evaluation of the belief systems and opinions of various social groups. That is, this function of philosophy examines ideologies. It is easy to understand that it is closely related to social disciplines, such as sociology;
• Forecasting is a function of philosophy that provides forecasts based on known data. Models and forecasts generated using this feature. are more widely and better integrated into both culture and scientific knowledge than other theoretical constructs;
• The design function of philosophy is responsible for the creation of plans, systems of ideas and images. It is very similar to the previous one, in reality they act as a pair, interacting in the process of theoretical forecasting, design and modeling;
• The educational function aims to influence the formation of the views of a person and his groups. One of the most ancient functions that became obvious from the very appearance of philosophizing, which initially involved teaching something meaningful and understandable. Thus, in ancient times, scientific knowledge was spread for obvious reasons (a limited number of literate people, the absence or closedness of educational institutions, etc.).

The functions of philosophy come from its disciplines and are closely related to the subjects and objects of each specific direction, at the same time they have their own unique specificity. When considering them, it is necessary to take into account the above.

Philosophy is closely related to people’s lives and satisfies certain social needs, performs certain functions. Function (lat. function– commission, execution) – the implementation of relations between two groups of objects, in which a change in one of them accompanies a change in the other. Philosophical thinking is not aimed at considering isolated objects, but at studying the relationships between objects, i.e. to study functions.

One of the most important functions of philosophy has been and remains the function universal knowledge or propaedeutics (introductory course) to universal knowledge.

Important functions of philosophy are also: ideological, epistemological(cognitive-theoretical or epistemological), methodological, ideological(social) , humanistic, cultural-educational, critical, axiological(value-regulatory), heuristic, explicative, prognostic.

Worldview function expresses a person’s attitude to the world, orients his actions in the spiritual and practical sphere. The influence of this function is manifested in the fact that: 1) philosophy, as a theoretically - rationally based worldview, equips a person with knowledge about the world as a whole, about the place of man in this world, points to the ultimate foundations of being and thereby forms a more adequate picture of the world; 2) philosophy takes on the role of critical selection and accumulation of worldview experience of the past and present and transmits refined ideas to subsequent generations; 3) in the interaction of a person with the world, the worldview acquires significance for the analysis, assessment and understanding of natural and social processes and is transformed into human activities and actions.

Epistemological function ( epistemological or epistemological) - solves the question of the knowability of the world and the reliability of knowledge;

Methodological(Greek metodos– path, method of research; logos– doctrine, concept) function. Philosophy acts as a system of methods of cognition used in the process of cognition. Summarizing the development of theoretical thinking and creative activity, it forms and produces methodological norms and the limits of their applicability. Methodological impact philosophical methods in that it allows one to build models of the world in the process of cognition and serve as a programmatic guide for research.

Ideological(social) – reveals interdependencies that influence social relations and relationships between social groups.

Humanistic function is aimed at recognizing the priority of the individual on the basis of universal human values. The concept of “humanism” comes from the Latin. h umanus- humane. Humanism is the recognition of the value of the individual, his right to free development, the realization of his abilities, the affirmation and observance of the principles of justice and goodness as a criterion of social relations.

Cultural and educational - contributes to the formation of a person’s culture of thinking and communication, orients a person towards truth, goodness and justice.

Critical - associated with an orientation towards values ​​and ideals, with an assessment of social reality from an appropriate angle. Critical function or criticism is a methodological position of philosophy, directed against dogmatism and agnosticism, a critical analysis of one’s own foundations of thinking, to clarify the limits of applicability of fundamental concepts and methods. Philosophical ideas change historically, so the problem of the relationship between past and new philosophical teachings arises. In philosophy, unlike private scientific theories, criticism of previous teachings does not mean abandoning them. They are preserved, developed and deepened, changing their content and form in accordance with the state of culture of a particular historical era. As a result, the results of the past are summarized, the appearance of the present is determined, and models of the future are created (futurology). Currently, criticism of everything to a greater extent plays the role of regulatory ideas, because content philosophical problems leaves an imprint on their decisions.

Axiological(value-regulatory)- lies in determining the values ​​of life, the system of moral and humanistic principles and ideals, the meaning of human life. Axiology (from Greek. actia- value, logos- teaching) – philosophical doctrine about the nature of values, their place in reality and the structure of the value world. As a theory of values, axiology explores value connections, the essential characteristics of social and cultural factors, and determines their hierarchical significance for the individual and society.

Heuristic - serves to increase scientific knowledge, finding ways to new discoveries.

Explicative function(from lat. explanation– clarification, development) – clarification and clarification of positions, concepts, meanings of words, when the ideas of everyday consciousness are filled with scientific content and acquire meaning philosophical categories. This function of philosophy manifests itself in two directions: on the one hand, it transfers the concepts of everyday consciousness to the level of theoretical thinking and reveals their meaning, and on the other hand, it explains the general ideas, concepts and forms of experience on which culture and the life of society are based.

Prognostic - aimed at philosophical understanding prospects for human development, culture and civilization, solutions to global problems.

The role of philosophy is not limited to these functions. They, like many other functions of philosophy, characterize its role in society, in the moral and spiritual development of man and society, reflect the connection philosophical theory with practice.

Scheme No. 1.

Scheme No. 2.

WHAT IS PHILOSOPHY?

(Views of various philosophers)

Worldview function of philosophy

test

QUESTION 1. Explain what the ideological function of philosophy is

The worldview function of philosophy is that, by giving people a general, holistic view of the world, philosophy allows a person to determine his place and role in this world, makes him a conscious participant in this process, sets before him universal goals and objectives social progress. The core of the worldview is values ​​- these are phenomena human culture, acting as selection factors. They set a person’s value relationship to the world, i.e. specifically human scale of world exploration. For example, the triad “Truth - Good - Beauty” occupied a central place in Kant. It is these values ​​that determine how a person answers himself, in particular, to the questions formulated by Kant. Philosophy uses rational forms justification value orientations, while religion appeals to divine authority and miracle. This is one of the reasons for the conflicts that arise between these forms of substantiating a worldview.

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