Classical values of European Culture: the question of appearance and development under discussion

Exagerrated under influences of rationalism notion of place of culture in the European Enlightenment thought was presented culture as universal sphere of national life. Universal tendency of growth of universal world organization was based on the world outlook and system of values including mechanical world of presentation. The aim to reach reason supremacy prevailed in European system of cultural values. In connection with this point of view the universal idea of predetermined harmony prevailed. This idea was oriented on reasonable state of being, and this very idea realized in attempts to structure different cultural phenomena in hierarchical totality. The human was interpreted as a force opposite to nature, invaded in the bounds of nature and transformed natural phenomena in artificial things. Within the boundaries of this values system nature was interpreted as a sphere of application of human’s force. The theoretical image of the world was presented as a result of rational cognition and so need not any empirical justification. So mechanical world picture was not destroyed, but was constantly being regenerated. In the С 18th discussion of common aims and humanize meaning of scientific activity touched upon the problem of beneficial influence of science upon the fortunes of mankind. Social optimism of European thinkers of this period was based upon the idea of rational world organization and rational cognition and notion of reason is the single ability adequate to human being. \ Narrative of rationalism was centre of the European classic thought in the senses of world outlook and value. This narrative had some foundamental characteristic: 1) the demand of critical treatment of reality; 2) interpretation of reason as inherent cognition ability; 3) acknoledgement of cognition on the base of foundamental adequacy between the world of things and the world of ideas; 4) optimism based on belief in the authority of reason abilities. Rationalism was element not only of the philosophical consciousness, but of the mass consciousness. Rationalism was a constient part of the classical’s values: liberalism, individualism, instrumentality, humanity. Ethos of bourgeoisie was claim of “rationality” and “life discipline” (M. Weber) differentiated from the ethos of aristocracy with claim of “health instinct” and spontaneous way of life. Classical epistemological conception was formed in the context of determined world views about true human existence. Reason was seen as guarantor of achievements of cognitive aims. Reason provided the human takes roots in the world. Human action achieves the aim of this action is rationally organized. Scientifically oriented classical philosophy adopted the idea about principal expression of forms in which object is given to subject of cognition. Reason formed the foundation of cognitive ability and thanks to reason human could give and take true knowledge about the world.

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