Abstract: The author of the article touches upon the question about the status of psychology as an independent science. This is quite a difficult topic to discuss because psychology was not born ‘from scratch’. Over the course of history psychology had been developing as a part of philosophy but in many ways its development had been defined physiologically. This raises the question of whether psychology has a subject matter of its own. Does psychology possess particular research methods that would allow it to be an independent science? Quite often researchers of different branches of knowledge prove that once psychology had separated from philosophy, it failed to show itself as a branch of natural science. Due to grandiose discoveries in modern neurosciences, the concept of ‘psyche’ is threatened to be eliminated. The most sophisticated mental phenomena are limited to simple brain processes. However, psychology meets these challenges with dignity and continues to get its revenge and to prove its right to be a science. In his research Pavel Gurevich uses research methods obtained from natural science, social studies and humanities. The author bases himself on biology that reveals important sides of human nature. At the same time, the author uses the methods of humanitarian expertise and applies achievements of social studies. The novelty of the article is in the author’s attempt to point out at the convergence of different approaches to analyzing the human nature. Today we can talk not only about human sciences but also define the unity of these sciences, as scientific discoveries made in many different branches of knowledge often remove a strict demarcation between individual branches of knowledge.

Keywords: psychology, philosophy, psyche, physiology, brain, human nature, consciousness, insanity, humanities, sociality.

Abstract: The article is devoted to the phenomenon of ‘friends and foes’ developed by a person in his biographic narrative. Both Russian and foreign psychologists have analyzed the process of self-identification of a hero of a narrative through his interactions with other characters and have described how the others are perceived either as Friends or Foes, ‘us or them’ depending on the ‘Self’ image. The subject under research is a personal development of the ‘Friendor- Foe’ phenomenon in the free narrative genre. Nevertheless, the ‘us or them’ phenomenon in the free narrative is understudied by Russian psychology. The purpose of the present research is to define the contents of the ‘us or them’ category in biographical narrations of different genres. The subject matter of the present research is the peculiarities of the plot and characters in biographical narratives written by psychology students. In her research the researcher uses qualitative methods (interpretation and narrative analysis, i.e. discovery of the structural components of the text and time-space relations based on William Labov; and determination of a narrative genre). The author of the present article is the first one to show that in biographies the accent is made on the pole ‘ours’ in the binary opposition of ‘us or them’ while in fairy tales, love novels, novels about everyday love and essays the accent is made on ‘them’. The researcher is also the first one to offer the empirical support of the hypothesis that the contents of the ‘friends or foes’ category in the biographic narrative may depend on particular features of a plot and characters. The results of the research contribute to the novelty of the research and can be used to analyze the generation mentality as well as in psychotherapy.

Keywords: narrative, ‘friend-foe’, narrative approach, narradigm, narradigmal approach, biographical chronicle, fairy-tale short novel, essay, love roman, novel about everyday life.

Abstract: Much is said and written about suffering in modern philosophy. Noteworthy that in ancient philosophy suffering became a philosophical concept. Classical philosophers such as Plato, Aristotle, Epicurus and Seneca tried to understand the nature and the purpose of suffering as a human emotional experience. The heroic purpose of the feeling is shown in the phenomenon of catharsis as a spiritual purification. Later at different ages philosophers addressed to suffering in order to revel the gnoseological, moral and esthetic aspect of the problem. However, no researchers have been devoted to suffering in terms of philosophical anthropology. By comparing suffering with enjoyment and human activity, philosophers have managed to outline different aspects of understanding this phenomenon and its role in human life. Existentialism viewed suffering as a vivid and reverent emotion. However, not all aspects of this problem are studied by modern philosophy. In the research the author uses, first of all, fundamental concepts of philosophical anthropology. The author also uses hermeneutic methods and a problem-oriented approach to the analysis and exposition of the material. When writing the article, the author addresses to the structural, historical and comparativehistorical methods. The novelty of the article is in the fact that the researcher is the first one to give the historical and philosophical description of the problem. The author also traces back the development of anthropology from ancient philosophy to the ‘philosophy of life’. Special attention is paid to Kant’s definition of consciousness in philosophical anthropology. The author also studies different aspects of this problem in Schopenhauer’s and Nietzsche’s philosophy.

Keywords: human, philosophical anthropology, knowledge, suffering, enjoyment, action, catharsis, pain, bravery, heroic style.

Abstract: The authors of the article touch upon one of the least studied aspects of the influence of computers on the brain, psyche and consciousness. Internet is a global phenomenon and intellectual benefit of the humankind and contribution of the Internet to the development of the world history and human mind is very significant. Dialectic connection between virtual reality and real virtuality (in the form of the Mobius band) explains the fact that real and virtual worlds are often mixed up or even pathologically shifted (up to being replaced) in the mind of someone who is suffering from of the Internet addiction. All over the world psychiatrists are aware of this global invisible threat of ‘soft’ mental and social degradation of hundred millions of people. The destructive influence of the Internet addiction on brains can be compared to the drug addiction. Therefore psychiatrists aim their efforts at developing effective methods of saving poor prisoners of the World Wide Web from the loss of their human Self. The authors of the present article base themselves upon the original concept of evolutionary classification of mirror neurons of the brain cortex that has no analogies in neither Russian nor foreign literature. This allows to consider the structure of a whole range of pathological influences caused by extreme use of the Internet on the brain and mental health of a user as the subject under review. In terms of mirror neurons of the brain context special attention is paid to the research of a so-called ‘clip consciousness’ that leads not only to deviant behavior which is widely studied in scientific literature but also to the brain injury and dysfunction of the central nervous system, especially in case of children and teenagers. Noteworthy that Internetrelated tendencies towards simplification of everyday vocabulary and refusal from the epistolary genre are rarely discussed only at the phenomenological level and are still out of sight of neuroscientists, first of all, psychologists and psychiatrists. In a word, even when researches touch upon the topic, they do it ‘outside the brain’ even though it is quite possible to study it ‘from the inside’ due to the computer technologies allowing to neuro visualize processes ongoing in the brain tissue.

Keywords: Internet, brain, consciousness, mental health, computer, information, society, clip, image, addiction.

Abstract: The author of the article discusses advancement of students inside the procedural field of understanding within the boundaries of the three spheres of human existence and traditions of human subject research including cognitive, hermeneutic and existential traditions. The author describes such phenomena as understanding as knowledge, understanding as interpretation and understanding as an insight in the process of teaching students. Based on the analysis of interdisciplinary research the author of the article describes a text to be interpreted as the main unit of humanitarian educational activities that has significant potentials to develop students’ understanding during the process of their studying at university. The author focuses on theoretical peculiarities and special features of students’ working on a text for the purpose of advancement inside the procedural field of understanding. The author develops a theoretical model of the dynamics of students’ advancement inside the procedural field of understanding and defines empiric criteria of this process. The author shows that science has accumulated much potential for developing theoretical, methodological and applied aspects of the problem in the process of creation and development of understanding in teaching. The results of the analysis of current sources of scientific information and new approaches offered by the author have allowed to prove the high importance of developing understanding in teaching and the need for practical implementation of conceptual approaches to teaching offered by famous Russian psychologies.

Keywords: traditions of human subject research, cognitive sphere of existence, hermeneutic sphere of existence, existential sphere of existence, textual nature of knowledge, understanding as knowledge, understanding as an interpretation, understanding as an insight, understanding as problematization, procedural field of understanding.

Abstract: Over the last fifty years neurosciences, comparative etiology, social studies of religion and institutional economy have significantly extended our views on the motives of human behavior. The ‘side-effect’ consequence of such an extension is a denial, full or partial, from the Enlightenment concept of Self as an independent source of action. Methodology of studying the affect followed, too. Now the ‘strong passion’ is viewed not as a result of tensed internal life that has very little connection with the external environment but a difficult and prolonged response to the environment. Our belief that our emotions are actually hours has turned out to be just an illusion. Figuratively speaking, human is like a canvas used by an artist for creating a painting. The canvas ‘thinks’ that it has something to do with the action and that all paints and images belong to it but this is not quite true. Out of possible variants of word views only modern theology defends the thesis about the reality of consciousness. In the course of research the author applies the rule of deductive and inductive logic, standard analytical procedures and rules of hermeneutics and phenomenology. The author of the article also makes an attempt to summarize conclusions made on the basis of the latest works by Jean-Marie Sheffer, Daniel Dennet and Mansur Olson who touched upon the problems of studying the affect in the humanities. Changes caused by the rapid growth of knowledge about human behavior have led to the radical shift of the perspective. First of all, introspection has lost its popularity. Self-observation and self-analysis of emotions is now quite a low-effective strategy. Secondly, preference is given to the external circumstances since the phenomenon of individuality appears to be rather doubtful. The affect is shown as a complex and prolonged response to the environment and therefore usual observation provides better results in better terms. Thirdly, the last ‘shelter’ of the Enlightenment views on human is the modern ‘non-critical’ theology that views a full denial of the Self theory as something which would mean the final and complete failure of humanistic views on the affect.

Keywords: affect, strong passion, consciousness, progress, science, neuroeconomics, etiology, theology, critics of the world view, individuality.

Abstract: In his article ‘Sexual Anomie, Social Structure, Societal Changes’ the American sociologist and cultural philosopher Edward Tiryakian analyzed Durkheim’s theory of sexual relations as the basis of the social structure and focused his attention on sexual anomie as one of the most nettlesome problems of a modern human believing that these views fairly present the modern situation in the society and culture. Tiryakian views different aspects of the social regulation of sexuality and analyzes the nature and consequences of the sexual revolution in the Western society. Philosophical and anthropological issues of sexuality are viewed with reference to the dynamics of socio-cultural relations and processes, based on the theory of sexual anomie and analysis of the consequences of the sexual revolution and taking into account the gender-based approach. As a part of human nature, sexuality is interpreted as a complex and systematically organized phenomenon that has different functions and purposes. The cultural and historical phenomenon of sexuality is exposed to socialization and culturalization and at the same time as a natural element of human nature, sexuality has a great impact on the cultural formation and development. At the modern stage of historical development the problem of sexual anomie is of particular importance because it acquires a new axiological and socio-cultural meaning due to innovation processes of the sexual revolution that have led to fundamental and diversified transformations of the sexual component of human nature and basic aspects of human identity.

Keywords: Edward Tiryakian, sexuality, sexual anomie, sexual revolution, relations between sexes, human nature, human identity, culture, cultural dynamics, society of modernity.

Abstract: Adequate physical exercises and physical rehabilitation hold a prominent place in a set of measures aimed at preventing near-sightedness and progressive myopia. Physical exercises make a body healthier and activate functions of a body. Special physical exercises also have a favorable influence on indicators of physical fitness and results of action tests as well as formation of ocular refraction of children. The purpose of the present article is to evaluate the influence of the physical rehabilitation program on the indicators of physical fitness and results of action tests performed by young sportsmen with the low degree myopia. In order to define the level of physical fitness, the researcher used muscular endurance tests set forth by the regulatory and procedural guidelines of All-Russia Scientific Research Institute of Physical Education. To describe the physical condition of young sportsmen, the researcher has used the following tests: 30-meter distance running, shuttle running 3х30, bows front from the sitting position, throwing a 3 kg stuffed ball from behind the neck, 6-minute running and a number of sit-ups per 30 seconds. 140 children aged from 8 to 15 years with the low degree myopia and accommodation spasms participated in the research. The experimental group included 110 children who have been diagnosed the low degree myopia in 44 % of all cases and the accommodation spasm in 56 % of all cases. The control group consisted of 30 children who have been diagnosed the low degree myopia in 46 % of all cases and the accommodation spasm in 54 % of all cases. The series of exercises was added to the general training. Children from the experimental group did exercises aimed at training strength and muscular endurance or other carriage exercises as well as adapted games or rhythmic gymnastics. By analyzing the dynamics of the indicators of physical fitness and results of action tests performed by the children with the low degree myopia, it can be assumed that the program had a positive influence on their health, in particular, increased functional capabilities of respiratory and circulatory organs as well as raised capacities for self-adaptation of the cardiovascular and respiratory systems.

Keywords: pedagogy, physical rehabilitation, myopia, young sportsmen, action tests, physical fitness (development), exercises, correction, compensation, development.

Abstract: A Swiss philosopher Jean Piaget (1896-1980) is famous for his theory of cognitive development. To prove his theory, Jean Piaget used the basic concepts of other psychological schools. In particular, analyzing the concept of reaction as it was used by behaviorists he offered a concept of ‘operation’. The concept of gestalt that was the basic idea of gestalt psychology was replaced with the term ‘structure’. As a result, he created the genetic method that became the main methodological principle in the psychological theory. Researches of Piaget’s works also omit one important achievement of his theory. The Swiss researcher did not only try to prove his theory of mental development. He also addressed to the humanities and offered a number of serious anthropological ideas. When analyzing Jean Piaget’s views the author of the present article uses the conceptual constructs of philosophical anthropology. However, the author assumes that it is also possible to study the problem from the point of view of history, too. Following the manner of Piaget, the author of the article underlines the priority of the interdisciplinary approach to the studies of human. The novelty of the research is in viewing Jean Piaget as a representative of the anthropological branch of knowledge. According to the author, Jean Piaget used a new philosophical school of structuralism to combine methodological issues of biology with the philosophical theory of human. Piaget made a great contribution to axiology, too, by describing the hierarchy of human needs.

Keywords: psychology, philosophy, pedagogy, psyche, biology, multidisciplinary approach, axiology, structuralism, function, sign.

Abstract: The author of the article offers a new instrumental procedure for objective measurement of positive emotions experienced by a person in different life situations. It is assumed that when particular emotions are being experienced (‘true emotions’ as the author calls them), there are certain changes in the functional status of the entire body including physiology. It is also shown that in some cases these changes can be accompanied with the appearance of alcohol-like substances in the exhaled air which can be actually registered by the breathalyzer. The article contains the description of the results of the empiric research. According to these results, positive emotions cause this effect in 0.4-0.5% of life situations. These situations include a meeting with a beloved, enjoying food, perceiving artwork, controlling pain and etc. Noteworthy that exhaled alcohol-like substances were not registered in the control group of respondents who were in the functionally neutral status (in particular, students listening to a lecture).

Keywords: emotions, positive emotions, joy, pleasure, scent, functional status, measurement, alcohol-like substances, diagnostics, hard-ware approach.