Zakhovaeva, A. G. Social and Philosophical Conception of Art

Abstract: The author of the article studies the problem of definition of the term ‘art’ in social philosophy. She analyzes the social and humanizing meaning of art and views factors of mutual interaction between art and society. According to the author, art is a special social world of sensual images created by using a particular form and material. This world can socialize and humanize, i.e. form a socially important personality. In art the world is felt through a dialogue and co-existence. Noteworthy that art is perceived as one’s experience and part of Self but not only the external image. Art directly influences our feelings and mind but this is not the only effect of art. Art influences one’s inner world through feelings, ‘gates of art’. Conclusions are made based on both theoretical sources and modern media technologies (the researcher carried out the survey on the Internet asking ‘Was the spiritual crisis of the society caused by art?’). From the point of view of the social and philosophical paradigm, art is a mean of interpersonal communication and the ‘personality-personality’ (subject-subject) coordinate system. It is the ‘dialogue of understanding’ being developed against the background of the historical development of the society. Social functions of art are in the fact that art is the dialogue between Self and You and co-existence of two personalities. This dialogue between an artist and the audience is the door to understanding, however, such understanding is not ‘complete’. It is an interpretation, experience of feelings and what an artist leaves for ‘co-creation’ or some kind of a ‘sensual area for interpretation’. Art is a personified intellectual social emotion, social ‘feeling of the thought’ and the ‘sixth sense’.

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