Abstract: Over the past few decades, a number of philosophers, psychologists, and other scholars have used the concept of narrative as a basis for thinking about personal identity and ethical responsibility. It has been argued that, ethically, we should strive to achieve the unity that we discover in creating narratives about our lives. More recently, critical reactions to narrative theories have taken the form of a specific anti-narrative discourse. This article presents arguments in defense of the theory of narrative identity, based on the philosophy of Alasdair MacIntyre and Charles Taylor, in whose thinking narrative is a central concept. The presented study defends the thesis that narrative identity is not an arbitrary contingent mental construct, but is necessarily present in human existence and is associated with the hermeneutic understanding of man as a temporary being capable of reflexive activity, constructing meanings, assessments, and goals. It is argued that narrative identity theory successfully addresses the problem of personal identity and the related question of the ethical responsibility of the subject by creating a narrative unity of the life project of an individual, in which the interrelationship between the concepts of personal identity, narration and evaluation is built. Section 1 analyses MacIntyre's concept of narrative and explains its significance for solving the problem of personal identity. Section 2 explicates the key characteristics of narrative identity: holisticity, intelligibility, teleology and the principle of self-care; it also provides responses to the criticisms of opponents who oppose the narrative concept of personal identity. Section 3 presents arguments in defence of Taylor's assertion that the ethical horizon of our existence presupposes the desire for narrative unity of the individual.

Keywords: intelligence, teleological, holism, anti-narrativism, narrativism, ethical responsibility, subjectivity, personal identity, narrative identity, human existence

Abstract: The subject of this research is the philosophical practices of existential openness that allow to develop trust to life essential for comprehensive self-enhancement. Existential openness is the ability of an individual to objectively and justly perceive, digest and interpret real events and personal emotions. Objective realization is possible only if an individual gets rid of stereotypes and patterns, overcome disaccord between living and thinking, using meditative practices of Taoism, Buddhism and Zen Buddhism. The study is structured on the basis of comparative analysis of meditative practices in relation to the methods of existential philosophy, phenomenology and humanistic psychology. Meditative practices enhance understanding of openness, acceptance of the world and existence within it. Existential approach helps to identify the profound problems of individual existence associated with realization of unsupportiveness of thinking in a life choice situation. Phenomenological approach contribute to detection of cognitive, speech and behavioral stereotypes of the lifeworld that allow the phenomena to speak for themselves based on their unique meaning. The authors sees the root of the problem in disaccord between living and thinking determined as a “psychological illness” of modern civilization, which main symptom is the desire to assert one’s self in the word, strive for dominance over nature, other people and yourself. Human mind is enslaved by the distorted idea of the due, often implicating a set of social and cultural stereotypes of one or another historical era, rather than philosophical desire to be authentic, open to truth. The article describes the philosophical practices that help to overcome disaccord between living and thinking, which disturbs the objective perception of reality.

Keywords: intuition, being, philosophical practices, existential openness, Buddhism, Taoism, thinking, phenomenology, existentialism, meditation

Abstract: This article analyzes the problem of existential grounds of human identity in the context of technocratic challenges of modern era, among which are: temporality, ectaticism, connectedness of individual being with being of the Others. Attention is given to the existential meanings of mortality and temporality of the Other, which lie in the ontological moods of pain and anxiety. Such moods are defined as the ground of the genuine in various sociocultural identification. The specificity of modernity is determines within the framework of M. Heidegger’s philosophy of technology, in other words, the dominance of a particular way of human existence – Gestell. The anthropological risks along with the challenges of modern era are viewed as a possible enframed attitude towards any self-identifications. In the theoretical-methodological aspect, the article is based on the critical interpretation and evolution of M. Heidegger’s ideas associated with the project of existential analytics and philosophy of technology. The scientific novelty consists in application of the theoretical-methodological principles of Heidegger’s philosophy to the problem of human identity, which allows its examination from the existential perspective. At the same time, ontologically are viewed not only the moods originated by the fact of personal mortality, but also the fact of mortality of the Other.

Keywords: the Other, anxiety, pain, ecstasy, temporality, existence, self-identification, identity, Gestell, en-framed identity

Abstract: This article examines the problem of fear as a phenomenon substantiated by the circumstances of human existence. Such circumstances include: the “biological non-specialization” of a human; evolution of consciousness and self-consciousness; propensity to create; incompleteness and finiteness of a human. The indicated aspects of human existence predetermine the formation of his sociality, but at the same time social fear. Social fear, related to the social in their nature treats, manifests as an inseparable and inevitable component of a human as a social subject, substantiated by the existential constants of human being. The analysis of fear is based on the ideas of philosophical anthropology, E. Fromm’s concept of “The Human Situation”, philosophy of existentialism, works in the field of the psychology of consciousness and activity. The establishment of social beginning in a human transfers him from the sphere of biological predetermination over to the sphere of freedom and unpredictability. Despite the fact that human strains after the formation of the predictable social environment through the social norms, behavioral rules, social institutions, etc., he remains open for development, as well as the unceasing experience of social fear.

Keywords: human situation, emotions, philosophy of fear, social anthropology, human, anxiety, social fear, fear, consciousness, existence

Abstract: This article is dedicated to the author’s comprehension of the idea of Other actively developing in modern philosophy, actualization of the meaning of a dialogue in formation of the human humanism. The context is the two images of philosophy: as a system of knowledge, and philosophizing that connects human to existence. The key task consists in substantiation of position that Other simultaneously manifests as an internal and external factor of reasoning, thus, antagonism or the emerging experience of the unity of personality and Other is what defines the qualities of a human. In methodological regard, the topic is revealed on the basis of combination and comparison of the classical and nonclassical approaches towards the problem of freedom, as well as application of methodological orientations of the representatives of hermeneutics and existentialism on this matter. Leaning on examination of the idea of Other, the author determines the specificity of ethnical and aesthetical aspects of the principle of dialogueness. The comparison of the incomplete world of ethical act and defined within itself aesthetical world, united by the values taken from the reality itself, allowed concluding that the desire of Other and reception with Other is the way of finding yourself as wholeness and humanism.

Keywords: Aesthetics, Ethics, Dialogue, Existence, Hermeneutics, Self-identification, Other, Self, Freedom, Understanding

Abstract: The subject of this research is the philosophical practice of solitude, the essence of which consists in overcoming the fear and accepting the solitude as the basic state of existence, because in every choice an individual is lonesome, and his solitude is aggravated by the sense of insecurity and fear. Despite the severe pressure of life circumstances and surrounding people, a person must follow the call of selfhood. Solitude for him becomes a productive, creative state, revealing the authenticity of existence, giving joy to the acquisition of the meaning of life. The acceptance of solitude does not imply a complete social isolation. Interpersonal relations in the state of loneliness can manifest through love or compassion for another person. Love originates from the comprehension of the common destiny for all people doomed to existential solitude. The research is based on constructivist and phenomenological approaches, substantiated by the internal isolation of consciousness, which leads to the fact that the universal principle of human existence lies in solitude. The subject is incapable of understanding another person, since for him the initial reality is the "Self", while everything else appears as an external projection of the subject. The article provides a detailed explanation of the statement that, in terms of the apparent impossibility of achieving the spiritual unity and understanding between people, which is impeded by the existential solitude, namely it manifests as a "purgatory" through which a person gets through on his path to psychological maturity and spiritual growth. Philosophical practice gives an opportunity to work with solitude. It ceases being perceived as a tragedy, because by accepting the solitude, a person retreats into himself, and thus strengthens his connection with the world and other people.

Keywords: liability, existence, philosophical practice, autopoietic system, constructivist approach, consciousness, loneliness, meaning of life, love, being

Abstract: At the brink of the XX and XXI centuries, planetary community joins and makes self-realizing society the fear of current and expected tectonic shifts in the system of modern world order. There have emerged an immense field of panhuman tension; processes of chaotization of social life became usual; significant changes of lifestyle of a man took place. Conceptualization of the happening social transformation is realized in the context of the notion “globalization”. But the constructs of worldwide society, created within the paradigm of globalization, appeared to be so manifold and contradictory that led to the blurring of understanding of social nature and content of the events. The question of what takes place at present time, meaning of global changes, and contours of the possible future at the brink of centuries became the subject of acute interest. The goal of this research consists in determination of the key link that sets unity for the diversified links taking place within the world system transformations. The work is realized based on the following suppositions: in human sociality, as a trend of evolutionary processes, exists the phenomenon of planetarization of socio-historical subjectness; specificity of the transformation processes of globalization eta lies not in globalization, but rather changes or the already emerged practice of influencing the content and form of existence of the socio-historical subjectness at planetary level. The scientific novelty is defined by the following: logic and argumentation of introducing into the scientific discourse of the world system transformation of the notion of “planetarization of socio-historical subjectness”; conceptualization of social content and role of the indicated phenomenon, which is able to become the foundation for centering, systematization, and comprehension of the happening transformation process of the world system; determination of the forms of existence of phenomena at the level of functionality of psycho-physiological and mental structures of a man, consciousness, and self-consciousness, and social formations.

Keywords: Philosophy, Self-realizing society, Temporality, Imperial consciousness, Hegemony, Expansionism , Planetarization of socio-historical subjectness, Socio-historical subjectness, Globalization, Planetary community

Abstract: This article is intended for those who would like to learn practicing philosophy in everyday life for improving its quality, making efficient decisions, establishing communication skills,  as well as ability to find a peaceful solution to the conflicts. Philosophical practice can be integrated into the ordinary lifestyle of a human, while philosophizing can be of practical value. Philosophizing can carry a therapeutic (psychological component) alongside developing (intellectual component) functions, which mutually complement each other. Practicing philosophy, philosophizing can be realized differently. However, an effective guidance can consist not in the “scholastic” academic tradition, but rather such worldview questions and issues that are present in the ordinary life. The goal lies in the ability to raise these issues to the level of philosophical reflection. The scientific novelty of this wok substantiates that philosophy can be presented as combination of the principles and practical skills, which a person have at their disposal or put at disposal of other to manifest care for the self and others (in existential perception). In addition to this, philosophical practice can influence the dominant academic philosophy in a sense that can provide a necessary advantage for the critical examination of philosophizing from the perspective of its importance in the daily life.  

Keywords: Gerd Achenbach, Karl Jaspers, philosophical counseling, self-cognition, Socratic dialogue, existentialism, philosophizing, philosiphical practice, Oscar Benifier, Ran Lahav

Abstract: This research is focused on the examination of absurd and glamour that became the key traits of modern man’s presence in being. The contemporary ideology of glamour, absurd in its nature, creates such spaces of the social, where individual assert themselves hypocritically and senselessly, displaying ontological, gnoseological, and axiological transformations. The author determines that absurd is being conceived in being and its gaps between Something and Nothing, which is given dialectically. The cause for of the origin of absurd as Nothing is individual, which consciously belittles Something. The glamorous format of the absurd simulates meanings and actions, covering them with glossy flare, which leads to disruptions in the work of consciousness and a routine situation that torments the individual. The exit from the glamorous absurd can become the involvement into being, associated with reflexivity, intentionality, creative approach, and ethical manifestation. This article is the first to combine absurd and glamour, interconnected in modernity. On one hand, they are created by social/personal and on the other – create grounds for their manifestation in being. Many aspects of absurd and glamour as existentials of being have a negative modus that requires immediate measures on their eradication.  

Keywords: adventure, glamorous image, glamorous man, Nothing, Something, glamor absurd, glamour, absurd, staging, duplicity

Abstract: In comparison with the subjects of science and philosophy, the author defines the outlines of existential ontology and gnoseology. Experience that is later transformed into evidence is viewed as the basis for existentially founded knowledge. The author also considers some topical issues of existential evaluation of human and shares his critical views on reflection as an ability to take a detached view of ourselves as well as communication in theory and practice. 

Keywords: experience, human, science, existentialism, ontognoseology, ontology, philosophy, touch, experience, evidence