Siberian Federal University

Issue

Journal of Siberian Federal University. Humanities & Social Sciences. 2011 4 (8)

Authors

Aslamazishvili, Dina N.; Ignatov, Nikolay A.

Contact information

Aslamazishvili, Dina N. : Georgian-American University , Chavchavadze Ave. 2nd cul de sac, #5, 0179, Tbilisi, Georgia; Ignatov, Nikolay A. : Siberian Federal University , 79 Svobodny, Krasnoyarsk, 660041 Russia , e-mail:

Keywords

symbol; symbolic systems; spiritual; traditional culture; transtraditional culture; transitions; phase

Abstract

The article represents the results of the investigation of the symbolic potential of culture. The crises of culture are interpreted as transitional phases of culture and its symbolic system. A closer look at the symbols and their application in various cultures brings elucidation of the spiritual in social life through analyzing spiritual processes of culture transitions. Considering the spiritual and the symbolic in their closest correlation helps clearly understand the rôle of symbols in culture transitions. In our opinion, the cultural can be viewed upon as a social answer to a spiritual impulse and this response is realized through symbolic forms. Such cultural phenomena as an urgent need in symbolizing and emergent necessity in symbolization (the process and its result) get clearer in the light of A.F.Losevs theory of symbol and K.Poppers world of objective knowledge wherein symbols are embedded. Where, when and since symbolic systems created by our progenitors, operate as an intermediary between man and nature, there, then and thats why the symbols play a key role in creating and mastering the social relations. Moreover, symbols are inherent in culture transitions. Our approach is to use symbolism as an investigative technique to study culture parameters in their ranges. As a result, cultures (or rather their phases) should be typologically and symbolically distinguished by their transformability, transparency, and transcendentality. In the history of the European culture, spiritual processes of culture transitions may be exemplified by its development from the Middle Ages towards New Age through Renaissance of the XIII-XVI centuries. The baton of changing symbolic systems by the genii of the past was picked up by the greatest luminaries of the new Renaissance philosophy and this same baton is still being handed on to the following generations.

Pages

1132-1152

Paper at repository of SibFU

https://elib.sfu-kras.ru/handle/2311/2454

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License (CC BY-NC 4.0).