Anthropology

Philosophical Anthropology is understood nowadays as a theoretical, methodological and applied discipline integrating within its framework various studies of a person. Today it is very important how a person lives, what he or she does, how and about what he or she speaks. All these aspects are closely connected with a person’s mental and psychological activity and self-awareness.

The Department of Philosophical Anthropology was set up in 1993 and entrusted with the task of instruction of students in a new specialization. The problem of a person traditionally has taken a central place in Russian philosophy, which is why the understanding of one’s own self is a pivotal cultural and philosophical issue. Nowadays philosophical anthropology has become a part and parcel of modern education in the Humanities, so it needs and deserves a special study. The establishment of the Department had a scientific task to work out a contemporary theory that would help a person to comprehend his or her place in the ever-changing world to find new ways of self-knowledge and self-development.

The teaching staff is engaged in scholarships as well as in the instruction of students. They publish monographs, academic papers and manuals for students based upon the lecture courses they offer. These works reflect the academic achievements of the Department.

The range of research interests is extremely wide. A considerable amount of research is being done into philosophical anthropology (Professor B. V. Markov), philosophy of language (Professor B. V. Markov), semiotics of culture (Ass. Professor V. Y. Sukhachyov), comparative studies of philosophical conceptions of a person (I. K. Romanova), philosophical and anthropological grounds of psychoanalysis (Ass. Professor V. N. Litvinskiy), phenomenology of spiritual experience (Ass. Professor A. N. Isakov). Everyone who does research at the Department tries to reach a focused and in-depth understanding of all these subjects.

A great number of talented researchers work at the Department. Among them mention must be made of Head of Department, Professor B. V. Markov, whose main works include “Philosophical Anthropology. Essays on History and Theory” (1998), “Reason and Heart. History and Theory of Mentality” (1993), “Temple and Market” (1999), “Signs of Being” (2001).

The highly qualified teaching staff give systematic and scholarly instruction in the subjects studied and help students to carry out independent research work. Undergraduates have an opportunity to become aware of recent publications, read periodicals, and study earlier literature. They are also encouraged to contribute articles to scientific journals and to the personal web site of the Department, participate in academic discussions and conferences. It should be added that the Department runs a post-graduate course as well.

Though it is rather new, the Department of Philosophical Anthropology is very popular among students because it is one of the most promising at the Faculty.

Exercises:

I. Comprehension Questions.

1. What is philosophical anthropology?

2. Which theme is considered to be central in modern philosophy?

3. Why was the Department founded?

4. What is the research work at the Department concerned with?

5. How can students participate in the research activity of the Department?

II. Word Study.

1. Translate into English:

1. возложить задачу
2. выработать теорию
3. гуманитарные науки
4. заслуживать изучения
5. круг научных интересов
6. лекционный курс
7. многообещающий
8. неотъемлемая часть
9. умственная деятельность
10. участвовать в конференциях

2. Translate into Russian:

applied discipline	comparative studies
within the framework	spiritual
self-awareness	to contribute to
pivotal issue	to gain knowledge
to comprehend	part and parcel
contemporary theory	to encourage
academic achievement

3. Find antonyms in the text for the following words:

bodily	failure
insignificant	malicious
minor	narrow
permanent	talentless
theoretical	to discourage
to exclude

4. Match definitions to the following terms:

a. psychoanalysis	1. the scientific study of the human race, including its different types and its beliefs, social habits and organization, etc.
b. anthropology	2. the part of a science that deals with general principles and knowledge as opposed to practical methods or skills; set of rules or principles for the study of a subject.
c. mentality	3. a way of treating certain nervous disorders of the mind by examination of the sufferer’s memories of past life, experiences, dreams, etc., in an effort to find hidden causes of the illness.
d. theory	4. a person’s habitual way of thinking; character.

III. Questions for Discussion:

a. What problems do you think philosophical anthropology can tackle?

b. Where does practical applicability of philosophical anthropology consist in?

c. Do you agree that philosophical anthropology is a discipline “integrating within its framework various studies of a person”? Why? What other sciences concerned with a human and human nature can claim to be integrating?