Abstract: The object of this research is the heritage of the leading representatives of Medieval philosophy, while the subject is the philosophical ideas of the prominent representatives of Patristic and Scholastic philosophy upon the nature of evil. The goal of this work lies in giving holistic assessment to the philosophical ideas on the phenomenon of evil in the Middle Ages, and is achieved by solving the following tasks: 1) assessment of the concept of “the first sin” as the foundation for understanding the phenomenon of evil in Medieval philosophy; 2) determination of the genesis of philosophical ideas of the Middle Ages pertaining to the nature of evil in the logical-historical aspect; 3) description of the impact of such ideas upon further development of the Western European philosophy. The scientific novelty consists in comprehensive examination of the Medieval philosophical concepts dedicated to the phenomenon of evil. In Christianity, evil is viewed as essentially historical phenomenon, stemming from the event of the first sin and being conquered by the will of God. Medieval philosophers underlined the need for determining the ontology of evil, which is called to answer the question on the nature of evil and the role of evil in the universe. Medieval philosophers were also concerned with the problem of Theodicy, i.e. why a good God permits the manifestation of evil. The representatives of Patristic and Scholastic philosophy reasoned over the moral aspect in interpretation of evil, trying to correlate the phenomenon of evil with the free will of a human. The ideas of evil as the absence of good prevailed in the Christian philosophy, which viewed the phenomenon of evil as opposite to being, nothingness. Medieval concepts on the phenomenon of evil had a considerable spiritual and sociocultural impact upon the views of the leading representatives of German idealism, who have embraced not so much the assuredness of Medieval Christian philosophers that evil is the absence of good, but the idea on the equality of good and evil as the fundamentals of the universe and the components of human nature.

Abstract: The object of this research is the philosophical heritage of German idealism, while the subject is the philosophical views of the prominent representatives of German idealism upon evil and its dialectical correlation with the good. The article solves two key problems: 1) analyze and compare the views of classicists of German idealism upon the essence and main manifestations of evil; 2) determine the genesis of the views of Kant, Hegel, Fichte and Schelling, as well as the ways and degree of their influence upon further development of perceptions on evil within world philosophy. Research methodology is based on the historical-philosophical and comparative-historical analysis, culturological approach, and philosophical comparativism. The representatives of German idealism associated a range of negative in the ethical aspect qualities with a human. Their reasoning on good and evil were tightly related with comprehension of socio-historical problems of the past and modernity. Evil was viewed as an essential consort of social progress, while overcoming of evil by each individual was understood as a booster of spiritual growth and improvement. In evolution of views of the European philosopher on the nature of evil, the author clearly traces the genetic link from Jakob Böhme through fundamental works of the classicists of German idealism to the writings of Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, who synthesized and advanced to a new artistic and intellectual level the ideas of European philosophy.

Abstract: The subject of this research is the philosophical image of the devil as the progenitor and carrier of all evil, personified in the characters of Mephistopheles (Goethe’s “Faust) and Woland (Bulgakov’s “The Master and Margarita”). For achieving the set goal, the author determines the dialectics of internal and external in images of the devil; separates the common and peculiar in artistic depiction and philosophical interpretation of evil in the works of J. W. Goethe and M. A. Bulgakov; describes the role of devil’s forces in the Universe, as well as the problem of good and evil in both oeuvres. Research methodology contains the historical-philosophical analysis for objective completeness of the study; culturological and comparative approaches for establishing spiritual connection of the writers from historical eras. Throughout the XVIII-XX centuries, the image of the Duke of Darkness has experienced significant metamorphoses, substantiated by cultural, philosophical and moral changes. In Goethe’s perception, good and evil are absolutely equal in their power, but completely opposite to each other potentialities. He created a unique conceptual reality, which set the scale for philosophical and culturological interpretation of Satan in the XX century. The author traces an apparent correlation between the images of Mephistopheles and Woland. Mikhail Bulgakov in his novel, depicted the devil as power that often objectively doing good and punishing the unworthy, having developed a philosophical interpretation of evil applicable to the realities of Soviet Russia.

Abstract: The subject of this research is the historical-philosophical reconstruction of representations of M. A. Bulgakov concerning the paramount questions of the philosophy of history. The author particularly analyzes the writer’s views upon the following historicophilosophical problems: 1) meaning of history and the causes of historical catastrophes; 2) coincidences and regularities in the historical process; 3) physical and social death in history; 4) relationship between people and government, politics and ethics; 5) possibility of creating a new human during the turning periods in history; 6) role of personality in history. Mikhail Bulgakov expressed the original philosophy of history in his works. Not being systemically formulated, the historical representations of Bulgakov capture the paramount ontological questions of the historical process, among which are: the specificity of historical process and correlation between evolution and revolution within it; meaning and purpose of history; problem of freedom and must in history; possibility of creating a new human in the turning historical epochs; role of personality in history. Bulgakov interlinks the historiosophical reasoning and philosophical-anthropological, ethical and axiological thoughts, creating the syncretic concept that is based on a distinct socio-philosophical anthropology. The key element in this concept is life, sufferings and death of a human, who desires to live, develops in accordance with the laws of evolution, rather than revolution – the social cataclysm that destroys the religious-ethical and value foundations in a human.