Flier A. Ya. Understanding History in Cultural Context
(Likhachev Russian Research Institute for Cultural and Natural Heritage)
Abstract ♦ The article analyzes the specific role of culture in social evolution, which is expressed in perception of historical time.
A vague idea of the past, sacralization of the present, and almost complete absence of ideas of the future were typical for the Primitive stage of social evolution. Sacralization of the past, a tolerant attitude towards the present and an eschatological vision of the future as a post-mortem human condition characterized the Agrarian stage. A complete inversion in the perception of time, as compared with the Agrarian era, took place at the Industrial stage. Then, vice versa, the past was rejected as a failed experience, whereas the present was seen as the stage of social transformation, and the future was regarded as an ideal state of society which should be consciously and meticulously constructed. The rejection of both extremes — denial of the past and enthusiastic expectation of the future — is characteristic for the Post-industrial stage of social evolution. The contemporary perception of time is characterized by an increased focus on the present as the only social reality that is presentative to us.
The article deals with interpretations of such dynamics of perception of time from the standpoint of civilizationism, evolutionism, and synergetic theory. The author supports the synergetic interpretation and hypothesizes that the history of culture in its traditional forms and functions is close to its end. The next step is to transform the whole system of regulating social life from tradition to more rational forms determined by human mind.
Keywords: theory of culture, philosophy of history, historiosophy, understanding of the past, understanding of the present, understanding of the future, meaning of history, meaning of culture, understanding of time, synergetics.
Flier Andrei Yakovlevich, Doctor of Philosophy, Professor, Chief Researcher, Experimental and Analytical Center for the Development of Educational Systems in Cultural Sphere, D. S. Likhachev Russian Research Institute for Cultural and Natural Heritage. Postal address: 2 Kosmonavtov St., Moscow, Russian Federation, 129366. Tel.: +7 (495) 686-13-19. E-mail:
andrey.flier@yandex.ru
Citation: Flier, A. Ya. (2014) [Understanding History in Cultural Context]. Znanie. Ponimanie. Umenie, no. 3, pp. 58–67. (In Russ.).
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