Abstract: The subject of the research is philosophical approaches to the analysis of technology reflecting the understanding of technology in modern culture. The problematization of technology occurs in connection with the desire of people to control it, reducing the determinism of their lives by external forces. To explain the connection between technology and man, numerous philosophical approaches have been proposed — systems of views expressing a certain way of seeing and based on basic concepts (reflecting the main aspects of the subject of research). Depending on the properties attributed to the technique and the goals of study, these approaches offer various forms of its awareness and practical development. At the existing level of philosophical knowledge, these concepts are not systematized and not coordinated; implied assumptions are not formulated openly, the main problems and prerequisites of the study, the factors taken into account, the meaning of the terms used are not always explicitly stated.   The author comes to the conclusion that the analysis of these approaches with the help of logical reconstruction will bring the greatest methodological benefit: the identification of philosophical concepts (including the articulation of unconscious ideas), their comparison and analysis of methodological foundations (identification of the principles underlying them). It is concluded that the following have the greatest potential for research: a socio-natural approach analyzing nature and human society (generating technology) as steps of a single ladder of evolution having common laws of functioning; a sociotechnological approach considering socio-cultural and technical practices as generated by the communication environment; a biotechnological approach exploring natural and technical systems as successive stages of the evolution of the Universe, not taking into account the subjective factor of technology development. As a result, developing a philosophy of technology that combines all the diversity of these approaches and explains their mutual correspondence, we will analyze the anthropological foundations of technical activity.

Keywords: philosophy of technique, technique, society, modernity, technical progress, nature, humanity, methodology, evolution, social technologies

Abstract:   This article raises the question about the nature of technology, namely whether there is universal technology that evolves and develops in culture, or there are different technologies that are interrelated in genesis. The author examines the pros and cons, as well as other problems, the solution of which sheds light on the nature of technology. The conclusion is made that the invariant characteristics of technology (technology as an artifact; synergy of natural effects and human activity; social body of a person; conceptualization; factors of sociality) do not represent the ontology of technology, but rather the methodology. In order to solve the dilemma, the author analyzed the two current states of technology ‒ engineering and technology. Technology is defines as an activity on creating technical products and as a technical environment that is essential for human life. It is claimed that the technology is a result of the activity turn and turn, which was later associated with management, including research and rational restructuring of the activity by specialists trained for solving such tasks. Ultimately, the author inclines towards the thesis of multiple technologies. The article discussses the Internet as a new type of technology.  

Keywords: environment, development, evolution, culture, technology, engineering, technique, activity, nature, man

Abstract: This article reviews the current content of social functions of the philosophy. The popularity of philosophy, which used to be considered one of the leading areas of culture and provided ideological grounds for social movements, is diminishing in technogenic society. The social functions previously fulfilled by philosophy no longer align with the societal interests. Science and politics do not challenge philosophy with the global questions, to which it has always sought answers. An assumption is made that one of the causes for the current decline of interest in philosophy is its social dysfunctions: along with the yielding benefits, philosophy can also be counterproductive. The research methodology contains articulation and discussion of the problems, comparative and situational analysis, structuring of concepts, cultural-historical comparisons, typological constructs, and generalizations. As a result, the author determines the two social dysfunctions of philosophy that may be the cause for its current unpopularity. Socio-axiological dysfunction impairs the foundations of social order, criticizing the fundamental worldview principles of culture. Hypercritical dysfunction disorientates the person by multiplicity of philosophical doctrines, and impedes selecting their own worldview principles, demonstrating the refutability of any opinion. It is concluded that philosophy could be more actively involved in humanization of the society, if leans towards neutralization of these dysfunctions and improvement of the narrative form of philosophical research.

Keywords: humanization, culture, dysfunction, social functions, technogenic society, modernity, philosophy, man, science, worldview

Abstract: This article examines the ontology of activity. Such need emerged due to the problems in studying of modern technology. It is evident that an engineer and a technologist work in a complex environment and conditioned by different situation, but the theoretical representations of the activity do account for these circumstances. The author explores the traditional view and scenario. Analysis is conducted on the several situations (environmental, anthropological, cultural, social, population) that impact the work and mentality of an engineer and a technologist. A new pattern of an act is proposed. In the course of research, the author employs the following methodology: articulation of the problem, situational and comparative analysis, typological analysis, structuring of the narrative scheme of activity. As a result, the author was able to describe the situation that requires reconsideration of the ontology of activity. It is necessary to reveal the differences of several spheres, which are important from environmental, anthropological, cultural, social, and population perspectives. The article outlines the scheme of activity, which includes a new interpretation of the subject of activity, several processes launched by pursuit of the activity, response from these processes to articulation of goals and tasks of the activity.

Keywords: sociality, culture, situations, consequences, problems, tasks, goals, activity, ecology, anthropology

Abstract: The subject of the research is the status of philosophy in the culture of am odern technogenic society, in particular, its importance for people in the era when technical rationality prevails. In her research Popkova examines peculiarities of technical rationality and its difference from philosophical rationality. She demonstrates the difference of worldviews developed by these types of rationality and signs of expansion of technical rationality into the sphere of philosophy. Popkova also desribes the main views regarding the aim and functions of philosophy and makes a conclusion about the conflict between philosophical and technological activity goals. The research methodology involves problem statement and discussion, comparative and situational analysis, historical cultural comparison, composition of definitions, typological constructs and generalisations. The researcher also describes the main postulates of technical mind, i.e. principles that arose during the technical activity and extended to other activities as a result of expansion of technical rationality. At the end of the article the author concludes that philosophy is also attacked by technical mind which to a great extend explains its crisis in modern society. Nevertheless, this is philosophy that can develop new forms of thinking and become the basis for new humanitarian activities.  

Keywords: science, humanization, technogenic society, modernity, rationality, man, technique, philosophy, culture, activity

Abstract: The article considers the impact of the technosphere on the processes of transformation of cultural norms and patterns. The technosphere (as a man-made environment created for human history) has its own laws, the existence of which is recognized by modern science: it is necessary to investigate these laws and modify social practices with their consideration. Technology in modern society acts as a mechanism for the generation of new cultural meanings, as an instrument of socialization and personal development, as a factor of social change. The attention to the question is brought how to consider the technosphere: as operated object (one of society subsystems) or the subject of social changes submitting to own laws. The causes and essence of independence of the technosphere from the will of the people (who created it) are analyzed. Two sources are singled out: insufficient rationalization of the creative process and the dependence of man on the anonymous regularities of social reality.It is concluded that the idea of the autonomy of the technosphere contains hidden contradictions: it makes sense only to fix its distancing from the social context that gave rise to it, in models that eliminate the social conditioning of technical activity. Since technical practices are a kind of social practices (regulated by cultural norms), in the study of cultural processes it is not necessary to postulate the autonomy of the technosphere. Nevertheless, the significant impact of changing technologies on culture is unquestionable, especially since it began with the active use of social technologies.

Keywords: social technologies, cultural norms, technical activity, modernity, development of culture, technosphere, culture, autonomy of technology, technical progress, social subject

Abstract: The article features attitudes to technology which were typical for ancient culture. It is shown that though the ancient civilization laid the foundation of many innovations in science, art and other areas of human life, technological progress was not encouraged and the level of technological development did not differ from previous ancient civilisations. In her research Popkova analyzes why famous ancient innovations were not used and thus were forgotten. The author also studies worldview principles of the ancient culture related to technology and explaining the reasons of insufficient attention to technological development and implementation of innovations. The basic methods of research used by the author include problematization, analogy, methodological schematization, rationalisation and articulation of implicit representations. The author considers the basic provisions and sayings of ancient philosophers on technology. Based on the example of ancient views on the person and his place in the Universe, the author of the article demonstrates the incompatiblity of the worldview dominating in that period with active technical transformation of natural processes . The reason why the ancient genius passed by the technical progress was the divination of the Universe and the natural order of things, as well as viewing human as the particle of the Universe but not an independent creature. Dependence of human life on universal laws which was the main principle of the ancient worldview, did not approve attempts to change natural processes and focused on perfection of the private world of human instead of external conditions of his life. The practical importance of such research is caused by the fact that the author searches new ways for modern mankind to overcome the crisis of the industrial civilisation. New world outlook principles, change in the attitude of people to themselves and to the world should precede practical implementation of harmless methods of economic management (which is hindered by the inertia of industrial hedonistic rationality). 

Keywords: cosmos, world view, ancient times, crisis, technology, culture, civilization, modern age, human, rationality

Abstract: In her article Popkova examines the essence of philosophical culture, the reason of its small demand by modern mass consciousness and ways of an exit from this crisis. The situation with recognition of social utility of philosophy in the conditions of dominating technology-related and hedonistic rationality is analyzed. The place of philosophical culture within the limits of traditional culture (as a source of basic principles and concepts) and cultures of a modern epoch (when the philosophy is criticized for uselessness even by scientific community) is compared. Necessity of transformation of philosophy for a modern epoch is investigated. The basic methods of research include problematization, analogy, methodological schematization, rationalisation and articulation of implicit representations. As an example, the author discusses the position of modern science which has passed the stage of techno-science (that means transition from a problem of understanding of an external reality to a problem of its designing, from an explanation – to reproduction). The author considers philosophy as the special technology intended for change of the world internal and suggests to develop philosophy in a direction named techno-philosophy. Accordingly, each philosophical system is considered as a set of programs of behavior proving each other and the dialogue: the basic metaphilosophical directions having different research objectives are allocated, and possibility of their interpretation as various schemes of autodesigning of the person of the philosopher is shown. As a result there is a possibility to use domination of technologically directed outlook for the development of philosophy, in modern mentality it has proved necessary for the personal growth of the person. Practical application of techno-philosophy will find the project at reconsideration of stages of development of philosophy and its social functions, at research of implicit or daily philosophy (ordinary representations about a life, its purpose and its rules also are technologies).

Keywords: Culture, philosophy, crisis, science, technology, techno-science, the present, outlook, rationality, designing.

Abstract: At the epoch of technological revolution the contradiction between technological progress and spiritual culture is growing and gaining more significance. Life is becoming more comfortable and new opportunities for art technologies and the material basis for arts are being created. At the same time, negative consequences of technological progress shake the environmental balance and create social phenomena causing depreciation and degradation of human personality. It is a mistake to think that technological progress offers unlimited opportunities and will last forever. The future will eventually bring the collapse and technological catastrophe which, in their turn, will change the orientation of historical development. During this new, non-technological epoch, the technological progress will lose its priority and will be oriented to achieve the purposes of spiritual culture.

Keywords: cultural research, industrial civili zation, technological (information) revolution, personality, spiritual culture, education in arts, mass media, manipulation of consciousness, technological catastrophe, future history.

Abstract: Synergetic method defines a new position in researches of formation and dynamics of systems (compared to a typical modern position in science). Combined with other Post-Modern concepts, this method provides wide opportunities for studying socio-cultural processes including implementation of a new mathematical tool. The author of the article considers methodological opportunities of using synergetics when studying socio-cultural micro-dynamics. The author describes similar concepts allowing to draw analogies between problems arising in both approaches and their possible solutions as well as between key concepts. Special attention is paid at the research methods used in studying processes of creation of socio-cultural integrations and transitions from one phase to another.

Keywords: determinism, interaction, non-linear dynamics, uncertainty, Post-Modern, process, synergetics, sociocultural reality, socio-cultural formations, chaos.

Abstract: The author focuses on the transfer from the Medieval Epoch of Renaissance to the Modern Age. The article studies transformations in the concept of death and attitudes to human body in the 16th-17th centuries. The author considers semantics of the images of death at the turn of the Middle Age and Renaissance and interprets various plays of the Death Dance and Anatomy Theatre. Special attention is paid at connection between development of anatomy and technological revolutions which resulted in a birth of modern electronic storages of medium.

Keywords: cultural studies, information, storages, anatomy, theatre, technology, Medieval, Renaissance, eternity, revolution.