Gurevich P.S. Man's Search for Niche (Review)

Abstract: The meaning of the present research is to characterize the newest trends in philosophical anthropology. The author of the article analyzes the results of the two original projects related to the philosophical understanding of human, the international anthropological journal 'Diogenes' Lantern' and humanities almanac 'Human.ru'. The synergetic anthropology project is presented by the central Russian philosophers headed by S. Khoruzhy. They effectively adopt the most recent findings of European philosophy. Meanwhile, this is a very original and significant project. It relates to ancient spiritual practices, at the same time, their searches conform to the logic of the modern academic discourse. The purpose of the present research is to extend the limits of the philosophical understanding of human. The second project is inspired by the searches for new grounds of human existence. It is referred to a new form of philosophy about human. The author uses the methods of philosophical anthropology that have been developed throughout the history of its development. At the same time, he compares the focus of classical philosophy to the modern stage of the development of views on human as a special form of existence. For the first time in the Russian philosophical literature the author views the current state of philosophical anthropology as a special discipline about human. The author of the article underlines the fundamental renovation of the modern conceptual framework of philosophical anthropology. The author introduces new concepts such as breaking through, singularity, and anthropological practices. He also provides his evaluation of modern attempts to find new grounds and fundamental criteria of human existence. He notes that philosophical anthropology still plays the role of a 'servant' to rational classical metaphysics of the Enlightenment epoch. He also outlines the ways to overcome crises in philosophical anthropology. 

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