Abstract: In this article, readers are presented with an analysis of some of the problems that became the center of discussion at the XXI International Likhachev Scientific Readings held in May 2023 at the St. Petersburg Humanitarian University of Trade Unions. The readings were held under the general title "Dialogues and conflicts of cultures in a changing world", combining the traditional theme of dialogue with the problems of conflict that have arisen in recent years. This review focuses on two significant issues, one of which determined the course of the plenary discussion, and the other became the main one for the breakout session devoted to the values and trends of the modern world. The main issue of the plenary session was the consideration of the conflict between the unipolar and multipolar world. Both domestic and foreign participants actively spoke out on this issue. The speakers who spoke at the Readings adhered to the idea of prioritizing the values of a multipolar world, pointing to the undemocratic nature of unipolarity. Analyzing this aspect of the discussion, the author of the review notes that in modern society the same value attitudes develop to the limits where they lead to opposite conclusions. The idea of unipolarity implies the uniqueness of the democratic model. From the idea of multipolarity, there are many different development scenarios, which looks like a more democratic position. It can be concluded that the value attitude coincides, but the basis of the ideological conflict is a political conflict. Nevertheless, the final value discrepancy is very acute. The philosophical and cultural section of the conference was devoted to this. Noting the sharpness of the criticism expressed by the speakers to the "new ethics" and the "culture of cancellation", the author of the review points out that in this criticism there is a desire to "cancel" the criticized, which again unites both positions, but does not provide grounds for a constructive dialogue. To overcome the contradiction, a rational analysis of the ideological and historical foundations, as well as the dynamics of the development of opposing value positions, is necessary.

Keywords: Value conflict, New ethics, Ideology, Ethics, Modern culture, Values, Unipolarity and multipolarity, Dialogue of cultures, Political conflicts, Likhachov Conference

Abstract: This review examines the main problems of the XX International Likhachev Scientific Readings held in June 2022 at the St. Petersburg Humanitarian University of Trade Unions. The readings took place after a two-year break and their problems shifted from the traditional question of the dialogue of cultures to the question of modern conflict tension in the world. Within the framework of the Readings, a number of breakout sessions were held on various aspects of humanitarian knowledge in the context of the current political situation. The subject of the study is the discussion held during the plenary session, as well as the topic of the section, in which ethical and cultural issues were analyzed. The author of the review paid special attention to the opinions expressed by foreign participants of the conference regarding the conflict situation in the world and their assumptions about the ways to resolve it. The general idea of these reports is the idea of a desirable political multipolarity of the global space and criticism of changes in the structure of understanding of liberal values in the modern Western world. The topics of the reports of domestic researchers, humanities scientists dealing with these value transformations were also described. The author made critical remarks about the general tone of the discussion and the conclusions drawn by the speakers, since, criticizing the Western "cancellation culture", the participants mostly tended to the idea of a mirror response - and thus also to the idea of "cancellation", which makes this answer indistinguishable from what he criticizes, and only contributing to the escalation of tension.

Keywords: Ideology, Ethics, Modern culture, Values, Global conflicts, political conflicts, Dialogue of cultures, Likhachov Conference, Multipolar world, Cancel culture

Abstract: This article examines and analyzes the main conceptual moments of the discussion unfolded in May 2019 at the annual International Likhachov Scientific Conference. This year the forum was dedicated to the problem of predictability and manageability in modern global development. The author notes that the majority of reporters determine the crisis character of current situation, in which the global world has reached the moment of unpredictability, stands at the threshold of multiple possible vectors, including catastrophic development. Therefore, the need for in-depth theoretical comprehension of the ongoing processes becomes essential. The article reviews a number of key topics approached in many reports, which carry either general philosophical character or refer to the analysis of current situation. The author concludes that the common idea of the majority of reports became the criticism of political trends of the global world, acknowledgement of internal contradictions in the actions of Western countries, caused by the escalating conflict between the values of the Enlightenment and the idea of world hegemony that actually takes roots in consolidation of such values. This drives the need for reconsideration of some basic paradigms of the global world, repudiation of the idea of hegemony and transition towards the more complex system of organization. At the same time, many reporters showed their preference towards one or another type of projects, which may seem utopic at first sight, finding a regulative idea for the political action within them.

Keywords: multilateralism, globalization, hegemony, utopian projects, European cultural values, crisis processes, modern culture, Likhachov Scientific conference, international organizations, predictability and unpredictability

Abstract: The goal of this article is to provide an overview of the latest International Likhachev Scientific Readings that took place at Saint-Petersburg University of the Humanities and Social Sciences in May 2018, as well as analyze the major questions associated with the philosophical-culturological problematic being raised in the course of the Readings. The author examines the relevance of the raised question, scientific novelty of the proposed solutions, as well as suggests an interpretation of the possible conclusions. Special attention is given to the problem of intercultural communication, which is a leitmotif of the Readings, and the difficulties experienced by the modern Russian culturology in this regard. Another important topic is the idea of Marxist interpretation of culture due to the anniversary of Karl Marx, The research is structure as a theoretical and comparative analysis of a number of the remarkable and polemical reports presented within the framework of the aforementioned scientific forum, as well as the contextual analysis of the ongoing discussion. The main conclusion lies in the thesis that the modern Russian culturology has a development potential for expansion of its problematic and theoretical field. The analysis of the causes of the rejection of Marxism in post-Soviet culturological tradition especially clearly indicates the possibility of such expansion by including the experience of most recent foreign research, particularly in the area of Marxist and Neo-Marxist theory of culture and theory of media. It is proven that the Marxist concept gives lots of room for the interpretation of culture.

Keywords: Intercultural Communication, Theory of Media, Soviet Marxism, Neo-Marxism, Marxism, Interaction of Cultures, Contemporary Cultural Studies, Humanitarian Knowledge, Dialog, Anthropology

Abstract: The study of routine was lately conducted mostly by the phenomenologists, representatives of empirical sociology, and, quite recently, by the social epistemiologists. The author tries to find the methodological approaches to the analysis of this sphere of social life from the standpoint of the social philosopher, with special regard to the issue of “routine and power”.

Abstract: The attempts of renewing the tradition of the famous St. Petersburg “Religious and Philosophical Gatherings (1901 – 1903) became one of the important events in the spiritual life of the country, which recently survived 70 years of atheism and its destruction. Among such attempts, one should single out the regular seminars, which are co-organized by the Institute of Philosophy of the Russian Academy of Sciences and the Synode Theological Commission of the Russian Orthodox Church. The author provides a review of these seminars.

Abstract: Throughout the ages the problem of freedoms seemed to narrow down to the issue of limits to the intellectual and moral autonomy of a subject, and this is precisely the approach for the modern European thinking, based on the classical tradition, which retains its topicality for more than 2000 years. However, as the author of this article points out, the idea of correlation between freedom and responsibility began to dominate at about III century B.C., with some peculiarities of ancient thinking being taken into account… The classical Greek thought seems to provide examples of the thesis, that no autonomy and no freedom are necessary prerequisites for responsibility.

Abstract: “The last Roman” Boetius have put his share into the issue of human freedom. He seemed to address this issue from two standpoints – philosophical and theological. This article by A.R. Fokin is devoted to the analysis of Boetius’ positions on the issue of freedom.

Abstract: As the author of this article points out, the topic of freedom in the Greek patricism is somewhat monotonous, and its essence remains unchanged for more than 1000 years from the II to XI – XIII centuries. So, one can hardly discuss the problem of freedom in the views of the Greek “fathers”. At the same time the Latin West provided a different example, since there the issue of freedom was a problem with serious religious consequences, due to the conflict of human freedom and theological determinism.

Abstract: The issue of correlation of the divine predetermination, gratuity and freedom of conscience took a special place in the theological disputes of IX century. This article contains detailed analysis of the issue.

Abstract: The author asks a number of questions: “What is the deep anthropology of Kant? Where one should find the “true selfness” worth of being the metaphysical subject of the unattainable freedom? What is the freedom of a thinking person?” and tries to provide some answers.

Abstract: This article concerns the understanding of Kant’s freedom solution in the works of the thinkers of XX centuries, such as Tillich and Bart. These constant opponents share some common thoughts as to attitude to Kant and his “freedom of will” idea.